Zeng Qinghong, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, met with a delegation of the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (PRP) led by its General Secretary S. Bayer in Beijing Wednesday.

 

Zeng, also China's vice president, said exchanges between the CPC and the PRP would significantly strengthen the friendship between the two countries and their peoples.

 

"The CPC is willing to enhance friendly exchanges with political parties in Mongolia including PRP and develop relations."

 

Ties between the two neighboring states had developed rapidly in recent years, Zeng said.

 

China had been Mongolia's largest trade and investment partner for several years and the economic cooperation had benefited both countries, he said.

 

He said steady and friendly bilateral relations were important for both countries, their peoples and the region.

 

China valued relations with Mongolia and would work with the Mongolian side to maintain and develop the partnership, Zeng said.

 

He also briefed the delegation on China's social and economic development.

 

Bayer said the PRP enjoyed a long-standing friendship with the CPC, and appreciated the CPC's foresight in China's development.

 

He said maintaining friendly relations with China was the primary foreign policy of the PRP and the Mongolian government.

 

The PRP was willing to expand exchanges with the CPC and strengthen bilateral relations, he said.

 

The delegation's tour runs from April 20 to 27, taking in Beijing, Hangzhou, capital of the eastern Zhejiang Province, and Shanghai.

 

(Xinhua News Agency April 27, 2006)