Britain's Prime Minister, Theresa May, joins Sutton and Cheam Member of Parliament (MP), Paul Scully, as he campaigns for the forthcoming London local elections, in south west London, Britain January 13, 2018. REUTERS/Leon Neal/Pool

BEIJING (Reuters) - China’s Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May would visit China from Jan. 31 to Feb. 2.

Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying confirmed the visit during a regular news briefing in Beijing.

China is one of the countries with which Britain hopes to sign a free trade pact once it leaves the European Union, and London and Beijing have been keen to show that Britain’s withdrawal from the bloc will not affect ties.