PARIS - French President Francois Hollande will pay his first official visit to China "soon after March" to bolster economic ties and help lift France's ailing growth, French Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici said Wednesday.

Moscovici made the announcement in an interview with local broadcaster Europe1, calling the trip "a highly-anticipated visit."

The minister added that France must "better known to attract Chinese investment and create more jobs."

China-France ties have witnessed twists and turns since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1964.

However, both countries have bolstered their partnership, with France becoming China's fourth biggest trading partner within the European Union in 2009. China was also France's leading trading partner in Asia.