China said here Thursday the upcoming visit by Mexican President Felipe Calderon would greatly improve the China-Mexico ties.

Mexican President Felipe Calderon will pay a state visit to China from July 9 to 12 at the invitation of Chinese President Hu Jintao, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao at a press brief Thursday.

This is the first China tour of Calderon since he took the presidential office in December 2006

During his stay here, President Hu will hold talks with him, and Chinese top legislator Wu Bangguo and Premier Wen Jiabao will meet him respectively, Liu said.

The two sides will exchange views on advancing China-Mexico strategic partnership and other international and regional issues of common concern.

Besides Beijing, President Calderon will also visit China's economic hub of Shanghai.

To increase bilateral cooperation between the two developing nations accords with the fundamental interests of the two peoples, Liu said.

"We hope and believe that President Calderon's visit will help push forward the growth of China-Mexico relations," Liu said.