DUSHANBE, April 26, 2010, Asia-Plus -- Tajik Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi yesterday departed for Beijing on an official visit at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi, according to the Tajik MFA information department.

During his stay in China, Zarifi will hold talks with Yang to discuss topical issues related to the state nd further expansion of bilateral cooperation between the two countries.  The meeting is expected to result in signing of cooperation documents, including a program for cooperation between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of   Tajikistan and China for 2010-2012.

Zarifi’s visit to China will last till April 29 and during his stay in Beijing, the Tajik foreign minister is also expected to meet with Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping and senior representatives from Chinese economic bloc ministries.

Zarifi will also deliver a statement at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

According to the Tajik Embassy in Beijing, Zarifi will have an interactive dialogue with readers of China’s Renmin Ribao on April 27.

Zarifi will make a stopover in Urumqi, the capital of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, en route to Dushanbe, where he will hold talks with local authorities.