China and Mongolia should respect each other's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, accommodate and support each other's core interests and major concerns, and enrich the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Friday. 

During a telephone conversation with Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh, Xi described Mongolia as a friendly neighbor of China and spoke highly of the two countries' cooperation in tackling COVID-19. China is willing to continue to support Mongolia in its pandemic response, he said. 

The Chinese president called for joint efforts to strengthen the synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Mongolia's Prairie Road development strategy, adding that the two sides should deepen cooperation in areas such as mining, infrastructure and ecological environment. China is willing to import more mineral products and agricultural and pasture products from Mongolia, he said. 

Proposed by Xi in 2013, the BRI comprises the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-century Maritime Silk Road, and aims to build trade and infrastructure networks connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along and beyond the ancient Silk Road routes. 

Xi told Khurelsukh that China stands ready to enhance coordination and cooperation with Mongolia to uphold genuine multilateralism and promote the building of a new type of international relations featured by mutual respect, fairness and justice and win-win cooperation. 

Khurelsukh congratulated the Communist Party of China (CPC) on its centenary, hailing China's achievements in eradicating absolute poverty and victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects under the leadership of Xi, who is also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee. 

China's development has created important opportunities for Mongolia and made significant contributions to peace and development across the world, Khurelsukh said. 

Mongolia is willing to actively participate in BRI cooperation and make joint efforts with China to build a community with a shared future for mankind, he said.

(Cover: Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with Mongolia's Prime Minister Ukhnaa Khurelsukh in Boao, south China's Hainan Province, April 10, 2018. /Xinhua)