Foreign Minister D.Tsogtbaatar meets Commerce Minister of China

Minister for Foreign Affairs of Mongolia, Tsogtbaatar Damdin has held a meeting with Minister of Commerce of China, Zhong Shan as a part of his official visit to China at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi.

At the meeting, the sides shared views on wide range of issue pertaining to boosting bilateral trade and economic cooperation.

D.Tsogtbaatar said the present his visit aims at providing leads-up to an upcoming state visit of the Mongolian President to China and boosting bilateral trade and economic collaboration. This year is specific for marking the 70^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Mongolia and China and 25^th anniversary of renewal of Mongolia-China friendly relations and cooperation agreement. History of bilateral friendly relations and history of the People’s Republic of China are of same age. Mongolia was one of the first five countries who recognized the People’s Republic of China. Comprehensive strategic partnership relations of Mongolia and China must be developed in the full sense, he underlined.

In 2018, bilateral relations and cooperation witnessed great strides that are to be consolidated and brought to a new level in the year of 2019, Tsogtbaatar stressed and added that sides have to make a focus on making legal basis firm for opening up new channels and platforms and eliminating barriers with a view to increase bilateral trade turnover to 10 bln USD in near future.

He also forwarded proposals regarding the signing of an intergovernmental   memorandum of understanding on conforming the Development Path National Program with the Belt and Road initiative; stimulating researches within the program on creating economic corridor linking Mongolia, China and Russia, revising mid-term program on developing bilateral trade and economic cooperation, accelerating implementation of grant aid and soft loan projects, prolonging the working hours of some border checkpoints at the Mongolia-China border, increasing feasibilities for exporting meat and meat products from western regions of Mongolia and wheat and wheat flour from eastern provinces of Mongolia to China, enhancing access for Mongolian entities to various international trade fairs hosted in China, and provide them with assistance they need.

Chinese Commerce Minister, Zhong Shan agreed with D.Tsogtbaatar assessment of the current state of friendly relations and trade and economic cooperation and noted that bilateral relations and cooperation are undergoing the most favorable period of time for further fostering.

Zhong Shan said he is convinced that numerous effectives activities would take place within the 70^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Mongolia and pledged to forward proposals the Mongolian side has come up with to corresponding agencies for making it possible for realization.