Uruguayan President Tabare Vazquez will pay a state visit to China from March 21 to 26 at the invitation of Chinese President Hu Jintao, China's Foreign Ministry announced Thursday.

"This is President Vazquez's first visit to China since he took office and China warmly welcomes his visit," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu at a routine press conference.

Vazquez will hold talks with Chinese leaders and sign cooperation documents, Ma said. Vazquez will then travel to Shanghai.

(Xinhua News Agency March 13, 2009)