BEIJING, June 4 (Xinhua) -- Afghan Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta will pay an official visit to China from June 9 to 12 at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi.

    Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Qin Gang made the announcement at a regular press briefing on Thursday.

    Qin said, during Spanta's stay in China, Yang will hold talks with him to exchange views on China-Afghanistan relations, reconstruction of Afghanistan as well as international and regional issues of common concern.

    Qin said China supports and has actively participated in its peaceful reconstruction.

    According to Qin, China has promised to provide Afghanistan with assistance worth 170 million U.S. dollars since 2002 and gave50 million yuan of free aid to that country last year.

    "We will continue to fulfill our commitment and provide further assistance to Afghanistan within our ability, so as to make active contribution to facilitating its reconstruction process," he said.

    At the invitation of Yang, Spanta paid his first-ever China visit as foreign minister in August, 2007.