BEIJING, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani is scheduled to pay a state visit to China from Wednesday to Thursday at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Tamim was born on June 3, 1980 in the Qatari capital of Doha and graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst of Britain in 1998. He became the heir apparent to the Qatar throne and deputy commander-in-chief of Qatar's armed forces in August 2003.

On June 25, 2013, Tamim became the emir of Qatar. Upon assuming his duties as the Qatari emir, he became supreme commander of Qatar's armed forces, chairman of the Supreme Council for Economic Affairs and Investment, chairman of the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, and chairman of the National Security Council. Tamim is also a member of the International Olympic Committee.

Tamim attended the 16th General Assembly of the Association of National Olympic Committees held in Beijing in April 2008 as well as the opening ceremony of Beijing Olympics in August 2008. He paid a state visit to China in November 2014.