Chinese, Mongolian FMs pledge to enhance cooperation

BEIJING, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang on Tuesday held phone talks with his Mongolian counterpart, Batmunkh Battsetseg, with both sides pledging to enhance pragmatic cooperation.

In recent years, under the strategic guidance of the heads of state of both countries and joint efforts of both sides, China-Mongolia relations have maintained a sound development momentum, with pragmatic cooperation yielding fruitful outcomes and two-way trade registering a record high, Qin said, adding both peoples have also joined hands in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

To maintain, consolidate and further develop China-Mongolia relations is the strategic choice of both sides, Qin said.

China is willing to strengthen exchanges with Mongolia at all levels and deepen cooperation in various fields so as to make new progress in jointly building a community with a shared future, he said.

Recently, China has optimized and adjusted its prevention and control measures in light of the changing situation of the epidemic, including introducing new policies aimed at facilitating cross-border travel, Qin said.

China appreciates Mongolia's scientific-based and objective stand and its support for normal people-to-people exchange between the two countries, Qin said.

For her part, Battsetseg said as neighbors connected by mountains and rivers, Mongolia and China are exemplary partners of cooperation in the region and good brothers who work together in fighting the pandemic.

Mongolia will as always stick to the one-China principle and is willing to further enhance high-level exchanges and deepen pragmatic cooperation with China, so as to make contributions to regional and international peace and stability and to push the Mongolia-China comprehensive strategic partnership to new levels, she said.