Maintaining long-term friendship and strengthening mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries serve the fundamental interests of the two peoples and will benefit peace, stability and development in the region, Hu said.

China respects Mongolia's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity and respects the Mongolian people's choice of their own path of development, the Chinese president said.

Hu said China is ready to work together with Mongolia to boost the China-Mongolia partnership of good-neighborliness and mutual trust for the benefit of the two peoples.

On bilateral economic and trade ties, Hu said the development of infrastructure and the tapping of natural resources will be two key areas for China to develop future cooperation with Mongolia.

He expressed the hope that relevant departments of the two countries will take practical measures to push forward bilateral economic and trade cooperation.

Enkhbayar described President Hu's visit to Mongolia as historic and said Mongolia attaches importance to developing cooperation with China in tapping the natural resources and developing infrastructure.

(Xinhua News Agency June 5, 2003)