At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua of the Kingdom of Thailand will pay a state visit to China from Nov. 13 to 17, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Thursday.

Addressing a regular press briefing on the same day, spokesperson Mao Ning said that President Xi and Premier Li Qiang will separately meet with the Thai King.

"This marks the first visit to China by a Thai King since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries," Mao said.

The fact that the Thai King chooses China as the first major country for his official visit fully reflects the great importance both sides have attached to developing bilateral relations, she noted.

The two countries are close and friendly neighbors and a community with a shared future. In recent years, under the strategic guidance of the leaders of the two countries, China-Thailand relations have maintained a high level of development, and it is a popular belief among the two peoples that both countries are as close as one family, Mao said.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of China-Thailand diplomatic relations and the "Golden Jubilee of China-Thailand Friendship," presenting new development opportunities for bilateral relations, Mao noted.

She said that through this visit, China looks forward to carrying forward the traditional friendship, consolidating political mutual trust, deepening mutually beneficial cooperation, and achieving more fruitful results in building a China-Thailand community with a shared future, thereby better benefiting the two peoples and making contributions to regional peace, stability, development and prosperity.