China and Mongolia should become trustworthy strategic partners aiming for mutually beneficial cooperation, said Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is currently in Mongolia for a two-day state visit starting Thursday.

The proposal was brought up in Xi's signed article Thursday entitled "Galloping Toward a Better Tomorrow for China-Mongolia Relations," in which Xi put forward a four-point vision for this relationship.

FOUR-POINT VISION

"China and Mongolia should be strategic partners that are trustworthy and responsible," Xi said, adding that the two countries need to keep their relationship "in the right direction from a strategic and long-term perspective."

He specially noted that China "respects Mongolia's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity," and is committed to the principle of "not interfering in the internal affairs of other countries" and "will not impose its own will on others."

"China sincerely hopes to join hands with Mongolia in making steady progress along the path of peaceful development on the basis of respecting each other's choice of development path and supporting each other's core interests," said Xi.

Secondly, the president said China and Mongolia should be partners that pursue and share the fruits of win-win cooperation.

"The strong complementarity between our economies makes mutual benefit the defining feature of our cooperation," said Xi.

When cooperating with the Mongolian side, China will always strive for win-win outcomes and never attempt to seek gains for itself at the expense of the other side, Xi said, adding that mutual benefit is precisely where the strength of their cooperation lies.

In the article, Xi mentioned areas of rail and road connectivity and mineral resources development and processing, where China hopes to promote its project cooperation with Mongolia.

Thirdly, China and Mongolia should be partners that visit each other often and have most sincere exchanges.

In this point, the president said China and Mongolia should "deepen the mutual understanding and goodwill between our two peoples."

Citing a series of exchange events this year on the occasion of "the China-Mongolia Friendship and Exchange Year," the president hoped that more interactions will bring the hearts of the two peoples ever closer.

"China is ready to continue to strengthen its cooperation with Mongolia in media, tourism, environmental protection and the teaching of Mandarin Chinese. We also welcome more Mongolian friends to visit China and see the country for themselves," said the president.

Fourthly, the president said China and Mongolia should be partners that work together for peace.

Both being developing countries, Xi said China and Mongolia share identical or similar positions on a number of international and regional issues.

"China supports Mongolia in playing a more active role in international and regional affairs, upholding regional peace and stability, and promoting common development," said Xi.

Xi also expressed China's support for Mongolia in joining APEC and said that China stands ready to enhance cooperation with Mongolia within the frameworks of international and regional organizations.

China attaches importance to the Mongolian initiative of "Ulaanbaatar Dialogue on Northeast Asian Security" and is ready to stay in communication with the Mongolian side regarding this initiative, said Xi.

The president also mentioned the the Silk Road economic belt and the 21st century maritime Silk Road proposed by China, suggesting that the two sides may jointly look at the cooperation opportunities brought about by the initiatives.

FAVORABLE CONDITIONS FOR BILATERAL COOPERATION

In his article, Xi said that the further deepening of China-Mongolia friendship and cooperation is blessed with the favorable general trend, the convenient geographical location and the strong desire for harmony among the people.

"By favorable trend, it refers to the convergence of our respective strategies," said Xi.

Citing China's vision of growing friendly relations with neighboring countries featuring amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, the president said that they have "laid emphasis on the need to make China's development beneficial to Mongolia and other neighboring countries.

Xi also noted that in Mongolia, a broad consensus has been reached in recent years to give priority to developing relations with China in its foreign policies.

By convenient location, it refers to the geographical proximity and economic complementarity between China and Mongolia, wrote the article.

"Mongolia enjoys vast land and abundant resources. China is growing rapidly and is strong in capital and technology, making it possible to provide all-round support to Mongolia in capital, technology, logistics and market," Xi said.

By desire for harmony, it refers to the time-honored friendship that runs deep between the Chinese and Mongolian people.

The president said that the people-to-people exchanges between the two countries have kept expanding in recent years, bringing the two peoples even closer. Both peoples now have great expectations for the future of their bilateral relations..

Xi said he believed that China and Mongolia are not only close neighbors geographically, but should also become "amicable neighbors in action and friendly neighbors committed to sincere exchanges."

Xi said during his visit to Mongolia, he would have a full exchange of views with President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj and other Mongolian leaders on issues of common interest, jointly chart the course for the future growth of their bilateral ties, and lift the relationship between the two countries to a new height.

"We have every reason and confidence to expect an even better future for China-Mongolia relationship. May the sacred khatak carry forward the friendship between our peoples from generation to generation, and may the vast grassland witness the fulfillment of the dream of common development of our two countries," Xi said.

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