Chinese Defense Minister Chi Haotian said Monday afternoon that strengthening the good-neighborly relations between China and Mongolia conforms to the fundamental interests of the people of the two countries, and is conducive to regional peace, stability and development.
Chi told visiting Mongolian Defense Minister Jugderdemidiin Gurragchaa that Mongolia is a close neighbor of China, and the Chinese government has all along attached importance to relations with Mongolia.
He said that China is ready to make unremitting efforts to promote Sino-Mongolian relations in the spirit of the Sino- Mongolian friendship and cooperation treaty in 1994 and the Sino- Mongolian Joint Statement in 1998.
Chi said that China and Mongolia have conducted sound cooperation in the defense field, and the exchange of visits between military leaders of the two countries is frequent.
He expressed gratitude to the support Mongolia has given to China on the issues of Tibet and Taiwan.
Gurragchaa said that Mongolia-China relations have developed smoothly, guided by the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, and the cooperation between the two countries in various levels and fields have expanded continuously.
Mongolia is willing to develop the state-to-state and military- to-military relations with China on the basis of equality, mutual benefit and mutual trust.
Gurragchaa arrived here Monday morning at the invitation of Chi, who hosted a ceremony to welcome his Mongolian counterpart before the talks.
(Xinhua 06/11/2001)
