1st LD Writethru: China appreciates Mongolia's commitment to one-China policy

BEIJING, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- China appreciates Mongolia's reiteration that it will adhere to the one-China policy and respect China's core interests and major concerns related to Tibet, Xinjiang and Taiwan, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Monday.

Wang made the remarks here during talks with visiting Mongolian Foreign Minister Damdin Tsogtbaatar.

"China and Mongolia are friendly neighbors," Wang said. "The new Mongolian government has sent a clear message to the Chinese side on maintaining mutual trust and properly handling sensitive issues, and the country has expressed a strong desire to deepen cooperation with China."

Wang said China welcomed Mongolia's attitude and believed bilateral ties would continue in the right direction.

He said China would always respect Mongolia's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, and the Mongolian people's choice of development pattern.

"The Mongolian side's declaration is very important. It has increased the two sides' mutual trust," Wang said, emphasizing that trust was a key factor to ensuring healthy and stable China-Mongolia relations.

Tsogtbaatar said the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China had "outlined a blueprint for China's future development and set the goal to promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, as well as making an important contribution to world development that would bring opportunities to neighboring countries."

He said Mongolia "firmly adheres to the one-China policy and maintains Tibet and Taiwan are inalienable parts of the Chinese territory. Mongolia is willing to promote the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries to a new high on the basis of respecting each other's independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and core interests."

During the talks, both sides agreed to enhance exchanges at all levels and keep the current momentum in high-level exchanges.

Both sides agreed to coordinate the Belt and Road Initiative with Mongolia's Prairie Road development initiative, build a cross-border economic cooperation zone and begin feasibility research for a China-Mongolia free trade agreement. China will continue to support the Mongolian side to overcome economic difficulties with free assistance and loans programs.

Both sides agreed to facilitate people-to-people exchanges in culture, education, technology, sports, tourism and among the young people, and to convene the first meeting of a joint committee on China-Mongolia people-to-people exchanges as soon as possible.

Both sides agreed to push forward the construction of the China-Mongolia-Russia economic corridor.

Later in the day, Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi also met with Tsogtbaatar.

Briefing the Mongolian Foreign Minister on the 19th National Congress of the CPC, Yang called on both sides to "respect each other's core interests and major concerns and deepen mutual political trust."

He said China and Mongolia should "seize the opportunities derived from the Belt and Road Initiative to strengthen bilateral ties and benefit people of both sides."

Expressing his congratulations on the success of the 19th CPC National Congress, Tsogtbaatar said his country stood ready to boost the two countries' comprehensive strategic partnership. Enditem