UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan arrived in Beijing Friday afternoon on a five-day official visit to China as guest of the Chinese government.

This is Annan's seventh visit to China since he took office.

Chinese President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao and State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan will meet with Annan respectively to exchange views on international and regional issues of common interest, as well as the cooperation between China and the United Nations.

Annan visited the Republic of Korea and Japan before his China visit.

He is also scheduled to visit Vietnam and Thailand.