Premier Wen to visit European nations

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao is to pay late April official visits to Iceland, Sweden and Poland and attend the world's leading industrial expo in Germany, it has been announced.

Speaking in Beijing on Friday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said Wen's European tour is slated for April 20 to 27.

According to Liu, Wen will meet with leaders of the above four European countries, to exchange views on bilateral ties as well as international and regional issues of common concern.

Wen will also make contact with people of economic and business circles, and deliver speeches to elaborate on China's opening-up policy and raise proposals on promoting bilateral ties and Sino-EU economic and trade cooperation, the spokesman said.

While staying in Germany, Wen will attend the opening ceremony of the Hanover Fair, as China is the event's partner country this year.

The visits will further advance China's ties with the four European countries and the Sino-EU relationship, Liu added.

Wen's visit comes at the invitation of Icelandic Prime Minister Johanna Sigurdardottir, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.