Russia's new President Dmitry Medvedev will pay a state visit to China from May 23 to 24, at the invitation of Chinese President Hu Jintao.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang made the announcement at a regular press conference on Thursday afternoon.

Medvedev was sworn in as Russian president on Wednesday, succeeding Vladimir Putin two months after he swept the country's presidential election.

(Xinhua News Agency May 8, 2008)