Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan announced in Beijing Thursday that Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan will pay an official visit to Australia and New Zealand from March 17 to 22.
Tang will visit the two countries as guest of his Australian counterpart Alexander Downer and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Justice Philip Goff of New Zealand.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and these two countries, the spokesman said.
(Xinhua News Agency March 8, 2002)