Xi urges quickened construction of China-Russia-Mongolia economic corridor

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday called on China, Russia and Mongolia to push forward the construction of an economic corridor linking the three nations.

Xi made the remarks when meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj on the sidelines of the 7th BRICS summit and the 15th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in the southwestern Russian city of Ufa.

Xi said economic cooperation is the priority area of trilateral cooperation.

He hoped that the three countries could dovetail the Silk Road Economic Belt initiative with Russia's transcontinental rail plan and Mongolia's Prairie Road program, and push forward the construction of the China-proposed trilateral economic corridor.

Xi urged relevant government departments in the three countries to step up the docking of development strategies of each countries and transform the vision into concrete cooperative projects.

China and Russia have agreed to align the construction of Silk Road Economic Belt with the Eurasia Economic Union (EEU), he said, calling for combined efforts in the construction of the EEU and trilateral economic corridor.

The docking of those development strategies is an important measure for boosting regional economic cooperation and the development of the Eurasian continent, he said, welcoming Mongolia's participation.

Recalling the first meeting held in September 2014, Xi said that launching trilateral cooperation process is a major decision made by the three countries, focusing on common development and closer regional cooperation.

Noting that the three countries are good neighbors and strategic partners, Xi said trilateral cooperation has a strong basis and huge potential.

He proposed to push forward trilateral cooperation from a strategic height and long-term perspective.

Politically, the three sides should cement mutual trust and forge a community of common destiny, Xi said, adding that economically, the three countries need to integrate their development strategies and advance regional economic cooperation.

Xi also called on the three nations to intensify communication among their peoples and consolidate the social basis of trilateral cooperation.

On international and regional affairs, he said that China, Russia and Mongolia should beef up coordination and cooperation so as to safeguard regional and world peace and stability.

Putin said that the close bond among Russia, China and Mongolia serves as a solid foundation for trilateral cooperation.

Since the first trilateral meeting last year, the government departments concerned from the three sides have maintained close communication and coordination, and witnessed smooth cooperation in railway transportation, tourism and other sectors, he said.

The Russian president said he was happy to see the consensus reached this time on further expanding and deepening cooperation, which serves the common interests of the three countries.

Elbegdorj said the people of the three countries will benefit from the trilateral cooperation on railway transportation, logistics, facilitation of agricultural and mineral trade, infrastructure construction and other sectors. The Mongolian side was looking forward to closer cooperation among the three nations.

During the meeting, the three heads of state approved a roadmap for the development of trilateral cooperation and witnessed the signing of a memorandum on compiling a guideline for building the trilateral economic corridor, a framework agreement on facilitating trilateral trade and a framework agreement on cooperation on ports of entry among the three countries. Endi