Wei Jianxing, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), said on January 10 that China has high regard for its good-neighborly relations with Mongolia and hopes the two countries will continue to be "good friends" and "good neighbors."

Wei, also member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, also told B. Delgermaa, general secretary of the Mongolian National Democratic Party (MNDP), who is visiting here, that the CPC and the Chinese Government will continue to respect the independence and sovereignty of Mongolia and the approach the Mongolian people chose for their country's development.

The CPC and the MNDP have maintained a good relationship. Wei said that the CPC is willing to further develop the relationship with the MNDP and other parties of Mongolia under the principles of independence, complete equality, mutual respect and non-interference in each other's internal affairs.

Delgermaa said her party is also ready to further develop a friendly and cooperative relationship with the CPC to help improvestate-to-state relations.

China and Mongolia established diplomatic relations 50 years ago. Mongolian President Nachagyn Bagabandy paid a state visit to China in 1998 while Chinese President Jiang Zemin visited Mongolialast year.

During their visit, the two presidents declared to build up a long-term, stable, healthy, mutual-trust relationship based on good-neighborliness, friendship and cooperation in the 21st century.