Beijing: China says its foreign minister will travel to Egypt, the Palestinian territories, Israel, Syria and Russia later this month.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said Thursday that Yang Jiechi will meet officials and discuss "major bilateral and international issues" during his weeklong tour starting April 21.

China in recent years has become more involved in Middle East diplomacy, as it regards stability in the Middle East as critical in helping to secure the oil and gas imports that China's economy relies on.