DHAKA -- Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Morshed Khan left on Saturday this week for a six-day official visit to China, officials said.

The Foreign Ministry said the visit, at the invitation of Khan's Chinese counterpart Tiang Jiaxuan, was expected to "further strengthen and consolidate" bilateral ties.

The two foreign ministers are expected to discuss bilateral, regional and international issues.

Khan took over as foreign minister early this year, AFP reported.

It will be second high-level visit from Bangladesh since Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji paid a visit to Dhaka in January as part of a South Asian tour, which included India.

Bangladesh's Parliamentary Speaker Jamiruddin Sircar, who is currently acting president, visited China in April.

Official sources said Prime Minister Khaleda Zia was likely to visit China later this year or early next year.

Beijing has traditionally had close ties with Dhaka, funding a number of construction projects in Bangladesh and providing military equipment and training.