Canada is gearing up to host Chinese President Hu Jintao who will pay a state visit to Canada prior to this month's Group of 20 summit in Toronto.

It will be the first visit by the Chinese president since Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his Conservative party took power in 2006.

Hu's visit comes at a time when Canada and China prepare to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic ties, said Dimitri Soudas, spokesman for Prime Minister Harper.

The president's visit will be an important part of the celebration, he said.

"Trade between Canada and China is at its highest level ever, and is expanding, along with investment," he said.

Soudas said that there are 1.3 million people of Chinese ancestry living in Canada as well as over 42,000 Chinese students studying in Canada.

Senior Canadian parliamentarians also stressed the importance of meetings between people at the highest levels of the two governments.

Depak Obrai, the government's parliamentary secretary for foreign affairs, said the Canadian government welcomes President Hu's visit to Canada.

"Canada's good relations with China are very important to our foreign policy," Obrai said in an interview with Xinhua on Tuesday.

"The visit of the President of China enhances the relationship between Canada and China and follows the visit of our Prime Minister to China last year. It is our country's goal to have constant communication with the government of China," he said.

"We have followed up our Prime Minister's visit (to Beijing and Shanghai last December) with a delegation, led by Canada's Minister of Agriculture, which will soon be traveling to China. That's part of a multi-faceted engagement that we have with China, and that we value very much," Obrai said.

Bob Rae, the Liberal Party of Canada's spokesman on foreign affairs, who would likely serve as foreign minister if his party wins the federal election that is expected sometime in the next year, says Canadians "welcome and look forward to President Hu's visit."

He told Xinhua that "the friendship between the people of Canada and the people of China is very profound."

Rae said President Hu's visit is an opportunity for Canadian officials to discuss with their Chinese counterparts issues of trade, cooperation on economic development, and ways of working together to develop environmental technology.

Chinese President Hu Jintao will pay a state visit to Canada from June 23-27 and attend the fourth Group of 20 (G20) summit to be held in Toronto.