ULAN BATOR — Mongolian Prime Minister Ukhnaa Khurelsukh met visiting State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi at Ikh Tenger Complex in Ulan Bator on Aug 25.

Khurelsukh asked Wang to convey his best regards to Premier Li Keqiang.

He said that Mongolia and China are long-standing neighbors and comprehensive strategic partners, and the current smooth development of bilateral relations has become a model for friendly neighbors.

“Mongolia firmly adheres to the one-China policy and maintains that Tibet and Taiwan are inalienable parts of the Chinese territory, and issues concerning Tibet and Taiwan are China’s internal affairs,” the Mongolian prime minister said.

He noted that there are no political, economic, territorial, religious and other questions between Mongolia and China, and the cooperation between the two countries has great potential and broad prospects.

He said that Mongolia is committed to the integration of its Prairie Road development initiative and the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, adding that the country hopes to deepen cooperation with China in the fields of agriculture, animal husbandry, energy and infrastructure construction, and elevate bilateral ties to a higher level.

The Mongolian side sincerely thanks China for its support and assistance to Mongolia’s development and improving people’s livelihood over the past years.

He said that Mongolia highly appreciates China’s support for the construction of a waste water processing plant in Ulan Bator, which will make an important contribution to improving the city’s ecological environment and the people’s quality of life.

Next year will mark the 70th anniversary of establishing diplomatic ties, Khurelsukh said, expressing the hope that the two sides will take this opportunity to accelerate the development of bilateral relations, iron out a new blueprint for the two countries’ future cooperation, and work together to push bilateral relations to a new level.

Wang conveyed the cordial greetings from Premier Li to Khurelsukh.

He said that China and Mongolia are friendly neighbors connected by mountains and rivers, and that strengthening the all-round cooperation and deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries are the only right choice for the two sides.

The Chinese side reaffirms its respect for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Mongolia, and appreciates the Mongolian government’s reiteration of its firm adherence to the one-China policy and its confirmation of always supporting each other concerning the other side’s core interests.

Wang said that China-Mongolia political mutual trust has grown stronger, expressing the hope that relationship between the two countries will develop rapidly and healthily.

He said that the Chinese side appreciates Mongolia’s active response and support for the Belt and Road Initiative, adding that China is ready to work with Mongolia to work out a cooperation outline on the basis of the memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the two countries, and promote the early arrival of more projects.

The foreign minister also said that China is ready to help Mongolia translate its resources into development advantages, improve its self-development capabilities, achieve economic diversification and improve the people’s livelihood in building the Belt and Road together.

He said that the two sides should work closely together to accelerate the process of signing the bilateral free trade agreement and achieve a $10 billion target for bilateral trade as early as possible.

He noted that China is willing to cooperate with the Mongolian side to seize the important opportunity of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries next year, to maintain close contacts at all levels and promote continuous progress in China-Mongolia comprehensive strategic partnership for the benefit of the two peoples.

On the same day, Wang and Khurelsukh attended the launching ceremony of construction of a waste water processing plant in Ulan Bator. He and his Mongolian counterpart Damdin Tsogtbaatar inspected a special lane at the Chinggis Khaan International Airport in Ulan Bator which was built in the framework of a project to enhance customs clearance facilitation under the Belt and Road Initiative.