Top Chinese legislator pays official goodwill visit to Mongolia

Li Zhanshu, chairman of China's National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, meets with Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, Sept. 12, 2022. Li paid an official goodwill visit to Mongolia from Saturday to Monday, at the invitation of Chairman of Mongolia's State Great Hural (Parliament) Gombojav Zandanshatar. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling)

ULAN BATOR, Sept. 12 (Xinhua) -- Li Zhanshu, chairman of China's National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, paid an official goodwill visit to Mongolia from Saturday to Monday, at the invitation of Chairman of Mongolia's State Great Hural (Parliament) Gombojav Zandanshatar.

During his visit, Li met with Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh and Prime Minister Luvsannamsrai Oyun-Erdene, and held talks with Zandanshatar.

When meeting with the Mongolian president, Li conveyed cordial greetings and best wishes from Chinese President Xi Jinping to Khurelsukh.

Li said that China and Mongolia are good neighbors that cannot be moved away or exchanged for gold, and that developing the good-neighborly friendship is in line with the fundamental and long-term interests of the two countries.

Under the strategic guidance of Xi and Mongolian leaders, the China-Mongolia comprehensive strategic partnership has been continuously lifted to higher levels, he said.

Since the onset of COVID-19, the two sides have joined hands to fight the epidemic and gifted one another with sheep and tea, which has become a much-told story attesting to their friendship, he said.

China, Li said, has always upheld the neighborhood policy of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness and has been actively developing its friendly cooperative relationship with Mongolia.

He expressed the hope that the two sides further deepen political mutual trust, continue to firmly support each other on the issues related to their core interests and major concerns, strengthen coordination and cooperation in international and regional affairs, and push forward multilateral and bilateral win-win cooperation.

Khurelsukh asked Li to convey his sincere greetings to President Xi, saying that Mongolia is sincerely glad about the historic achievements made in the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics under the leadership of President Xi and the Communist Party of China (CPC).

Noting that the Mongolia-China friendly cooperation is a model for the development of state-to-state relations, Khurelsukh expressed the hope that the two sides strengthen high-level exchanges, deepen political mutual trust, and expand exchanges and cooperation in various fields, so as to push bilateral relations to higher levels, and jointly promote the development of the two countries and the prosperity and stability of Asia.

The exchanges between the legislative bodies of the two countries are of great significance to deepening the good-neighborly friendship between Mongolia and China and enriching the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, he added.

When meeting with Oyun-Erdene, Li said that it is the common goal of China and Mongolia to develop the economy, improve people's livelihood and strengthen the country and enrich the people, adding that the two countries enjoy distinct economic complementarities and huge potential for cooperation.

China is willing to strengthen development strategic alignment and policy communication and coordination with Mongolia to further promote infrastructural connectivity and promote the process of regional integration, he said.

China stands ready to work with Mongolia on customs clearance at ports under the pandemic situation, implement existing cooperation projects, carry out green energy cooperation and expand trade exchanges to realize coordinated development and mutual benefit of the two countries, he added.

The two sides can also strengthen exchanges and cooperation between political parties and young people, as well as cultural exchanges, Li said.

For his part, Oyun-Erdene said that developing good-neighborly friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation with China is the primary goal of Mongolia's foreign policy, and China's rapid development is a great opportunity for Mongolia's development and revitalization.

Mongolia is willing to actively deepen cooperation in the fields of economy and trade, logistics, ports, resources and education, and promote the alignment between Mongolia's New Revival Policy and the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, he said.

During the talks with Zandanshatar, Li said that China and Mongolia should be good neighbors with frequent exchange of visits, good friends conducting mutually-beneficial cooperation, and partners in multilateral cooperation, so as to better benefit the two countries and their people.

The legislative bodies of the two countries should actively implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, strengthen the exchange of experience in state governance and legislative work, and provide legal safeguards for promoting bilateral cooperation in various fields, Li said.

In addition, he said that the two countries should strengthen coordination on multilateral occasions such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union and speak with one voice regarding upholding multilateralism and improving the global governance system from the perspective of legislative bodies.

For his part, Zandanshatar said that friendly exchanges between the legislative bodies of the two countries are an important part of bilateral relations. He expressed the hope that the two legislative bodies deepen exchanges between their special committees and friendship groups.

He noted that the State Great Hural (Parliament) of Mongolia is ready to make positive efforts to enhance political mutual trust between Mongolia and China, promote practical cooperation and deepen friendship between the people of the two countries.

Li briefed the Mongolian side about the upcoming 20th National Congress of the CPC.

The Mongolian side noted that it will firmly adhere to the one-China principle, actively support the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative proposed by President Xi, and is willing to make joint efforts with the Chinese side to push for new development of the Mongolia-China comprehensive strategic partnership.

The Mongolian side also wished the 20th National Congress of the CPC a success.

During his visit in Mongolia, Li also toured the "Mongolian nomadism" grassland and ecological areas.