BEIJING, Oct. 16 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday exchanged congratulatory messages with his Mongolian counterpart, Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, on the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

In his message, Xi said China and Mongolia are friendly neighbors linked by mountains and rivers, with amity and cooperation having always been the main trend for bilateral relations over the past six and a half decades.

Thanks to the joint efforts by both sides, he said, China and Mongolia in recent years have enjoyed frequent high-level exchanges, continuously strengthened mutual political trust, and constantly deepened exchanges and cooperation in such fields as trade, economy, people-to-people contacts and culture, bringing tangible benefits to the two countries and peoples.

He expressed satisfaction with the sound momentum of development in bilateral relations.

Xi said that during his state visit to Mongolia in August, he had an in-depth exchange of views with Elbegdorj and other Mongolian leaders on bilateral relations and international and regional issues of common interest.

The two sides reached many important consensuses, in particular on upgrading China-Mongolia ties into a comprehensive strategic partnership, which ushered in a new phase in the development of bilateral relations, he recalled.

The Chinese president said he attaches great importance to the development of China-Mongolia ties and is willing to make concerted efforts with Elbegdorj to continue to push forward bilateral relations, so as to better benefit the two countries and peoples.

For his part, Elbegdorj said in his message that since the establishment of diplomatic relations 65 years ago, the two sides have followed the principle of equality, mutual benefit and peaceful coexistence, and always respected each other's independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and path of development.

He said he is glad to see that the two countries' relations have reached the level of a comprehensive strategic partnership and continuously broadened and developed in various areas.

The Mongolian president voiced his willingness to work with Xi to consolidate the well-established close, practical relations, and promote the great undertaking of further boosting the two countries' comprehensive strategic partnership.