Premier Li meets Mongolian president

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with Mongolian President Khaltmaa Battulga ahead of the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing, capital of China, April 24, 2019. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

BEIJING, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met with Mongolian President Khaltmaa Battulga Wednesday ahead of the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation to be held from April 25 to 27 in Beijing.

China is willing to enhance political mutual trust with Mongolia, respect each other's core interests and major concerns and promote the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries to a new level, Li said.

He said China would like to align the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with Mongolia's Development Road program on the basis of mutual respect, equal cooperation and mutual benefit, speed up the completion of a China-Mongolia free trade agreement and the building of a cross-border economic cooperation zone, and deepen exchanges and cooperation in sectors such as agriculture, industry capacity and culture.

China will continue to provide convenience for Mongolia in cross-border transportation and port construction, he added.

To develop mutually beneficial relations with China is the priority of Mongolia's foreign policy, Battulga said.

Mongolia firmly adheres to the one-China principle and recognizes that Taiwan and Tibet are inseparable parts of China, he said, adding that the two sides will always respect each other's core interests.

Mongolia is willing to strengthen the alignment of the Development Road program with the BRI, expand cooperation in trade, energy and infrastructure, and advance the development of the Mongolia-China-Russia economic corridor, he said.