DUSHANBE, Sept. 11 -- The heads of state of China, Russia and Mongolia held their first trilateral meeting here on Thursday ahead of the 14th summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

The meeting of China's Xi Jinping, Russia's Vladimir Putin and Mongolia's Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj is designed to strengthen cooperation among the three neighbors.

The trilateral summit took place on the basis of a proposal raised by the Mongolian side during Xi's visit to Mongolia last month.