Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao arrived in Ankara on Thursday night for a three-day official visit to Turkey.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (L, front) arrives in Ankara, capital of Turkey, for an offical visit, on Oct. 7, 2010. [Rao Aimin/Xinhua]

Turkey is the last leg of Wen's four-nation tour, which has taken him to Greece, Belgium and Italy. He also had an unscheduled meeting with his German counterpart Angela Merkel on Tuesday in Germany.

Earlier on Thursday in Rome, Wen held talks with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, President Giorgio Napolitano and parliamentary leaders, and launched together with Berlusconi the program of the Chinese Culture Year in Italy.

During his stay in Turkey, Wen is scheduled to meet with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and President Abdullah Gul.

Chinese Ambassador to Turkey Gong Xiaosheng said last week that Premier Wen's visit to Turkey will boost the two countries' relations to a new level.

"We expect the Chinese-Turkish ties to have a new and better development and a leap forward after Wen visits Turkey," Gong told a press briefing in Ankara. "As the two nations know more about and work more with each other, I believe there will be great prospects for our cooperation."