BEIJING, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Francisco Carrion will visit China from May 31 to June 3, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Thursday.

    "Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Francisco Carrion will pay an official visit to China from May 31 to June 3 as guest of his Chinese counterpart Li Zhaoxing," spokesman Liu Jianchao told the regular briefing.

    During Carrion's stay in Beijing, Chinese Vice President Zeng Qinghong will meet with Carrion, the two foreign ministers will hold talks, Liu said.

    "China-Ecuador relations have progressed smoothly since the two countries forged diplomatic ties in 1980," the spokesman said.

    In recent years, the two countries stepped up the exchanges between the two peoples, and enhanced the political trust and trade cooperation, he said.

    China-Ecuador trade volume in 2005 hit 510 million US dollars, 17.04 percent higher than that in 2004. Enditem