"On Myanmar's election, as a friendly neighbour we hope to see national reconciliation of the various parties in the country to ensure national stability and development," foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said.

Wen will visit Myanmar as part of an April 22-25 swing through Southeast Asia that will also take him to Brunei and Indonesia, she told reporters at a regular news briefing.

During his Indonesia and Myanmar stops, Wen will attend celebrations for the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations with those countries and "have extensive contact with people from different sectors," she said, without elaborating.

Elections in military-ruled Myanmar, expected to be held by early November, have been widely criticised as lacking credibility because of laws that effectively bar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi from taking part.

They will be the country's first elections for two decades, but Suu Kyi's political party has called a boycott over rules that would have forced it to expel her as leader if it wanted to participate.

China is the isolated state's sole major ally and trade partner.

Energy-hungry China is an eager buyer of Myanmar's sizeable natural gas reserves and has in the past tried to shield its ruling junta from international sanctions imposed over its poor human rights record.

During his Southeast Asian trip, Wen will meet with Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, and "leaders of Myanmar," Jiang said.