BEIJING, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Tonga's King Tupou VI will pay a state visit to China from Feb. 28 to March 8 at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Tupou VI was born on July 12, 1959. He is the son of late King Tupou IV and the younger brother of late King Tupou V. He once studied at the Royal Navy College in Britain, the Joint Services Staff College in Australia, and the U.S. Navy War College.

He has a master's degree in Defense Studies from Australia's University of New South Wales and a M.A. in International Relations from Bond University in Australia.

Tupou VI joined the Tonga Defence Services in 1981 and became the Commander of the Royal Tonga Navy in 1987. He was Tonga's foreign minister and defense minister since 1998 until he became the country's prime minister in 2000.

Tupou VI was appointed as Tonga's crown prince in September 2006, and succeeded the throne of king in March 2012. He was formally crowned the King of Tonga in July 2015.

Tupou VI visited China as Tonga's foreign minister and defense minister in 1998 and 1999, and as prime minister and foreign minister and defense minister in 2002. He attended the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games as Tonga's crown prince in 2008.

Tupou VI and his wife Queen Nanasipau'u have three children.