Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji will pay an official visit to Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam from November 22 to December 4, foreign ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue announced in Beijing on November 13 afternoon.

According to Zhang, the Chinese premier was invited by Malaysian Prime Minister Mohamad Mahathir, Philippine President Joseph Estrada, Singaporean Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, and Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai.

The Chinese premier will also attend the informal leadership meeting between ASEAN and China, Japan and the Republic of Korea, and the informal leadership meeting between ASEAN and China.

Zhang said the above four nations are all members of the ASEAN and friendly neighbors of China, adding that Zhu's upcoming visit are of great significance to the further advancement of partnership between China and ASEAN featuring good-neighborliness and mutual trust, and to the enhancement of mutually beneficial cooperation between China and ASEAN countries.