BEIJING — State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will pay official visits to France, Spain, Portugal and Argentina from May 16 to 24, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang announced on May 11.

Wang will attend the Group of 20 (G20) ministerial meeting in Argentina, Geng said.

Wang’s upcoming visits are at the invitation of the Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France Jean-Yves Le Drian, Spanish Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Minister Alfonso Dastis, Portuguese Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva, and Argentine Foreign Minister Jorge Faurie.

During Wang’s visit to France, he is scheduled to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron and his diplomatic advisor Philippe Etienne, and hold talks with Le Drian, Geng said.

The two sides will fully exchange views on implementing the consensus reached by the two heads of state, pushing forward more high-level visits, strengthening cooperation in various fields, and major international issues of common concern, Geng added.

As a permanent member of the United Nations (UN) Security Council, a key European country, and an important member of the G20, France was the first Western power to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China, Geng said.

Saying China-France relations have maintained healthy and stable development momentum, Geng said the two countries have deepened pragmatic cooperation in various areas, maintained close coordination in international affairs, and played active roles in promoting both domestic development and world prosperity.

Macron paid a successful state visit to China this January, reaching an important consensus with the Chinese side on elevating the two countries’ comprehensive strategic partnership to a higher level.

In terms of Wang’s visit to Argentina, Geng said the Latin American country is an important emerging economy, and noted that it holds the G20 presidency for 2018.

Wang will meet with Argentine President Mauricio Macri and hold talks with Faurie, Geng said, adding that the two sides will have an in-depth exchange of views on bilateral ties, pragmatic cooperation, preparation work for the G20 summit, as well as regional and international issues of common concern, Geng said.

As for the G20 ministerial meeting, Geng said Wang will elaborate China’s position on topics within the G20 framework, such as multilateralism, global governance, and fair and sustainable development.

Wang’s schedule also includes bilateral meetings with G20 counterparts, at which they will discuss bilateral relations and major international issues, Geng added.

In recent years, China has witnessed rapid development of ties with Argentina, its comprehensive strategic partner, the spokesperson said.

The two heads of state have met three times, reaching important consensus on boosting the two countries’ mutually beneficial cooperation.