Potential visit of US official welcomed

China welcomes the prospect of a visit by the United States secretary of state, and both countries are in communication over related matters, the Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

"China welcomes US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to pay a visit to China at a time convenient for both sides," Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a daily media briefing in Beijing, without giving further details.

Tillerson is likely to embark on his debut trip to Asia later this month, visiting Japan, the Republic of Korea and China, possibly meeting Foreign Minister Wang Yi and even more senior Chinese leaders, Japanese media reported on Saturday.