China and Bhutan on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to speed up their border negotiations.

In a statement, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Wu Jianghao and Bhutan's Foreign Minister Lyonpo Tandi Dorji signed the MoU on the Three-Step Roadmap for Expediting the China-Bhutan Boundary Negotiations during a virtual ceremony.

Noting that China and Bhutan are friendly neighbors linked by mountains and waters and the two peoples have a tradition of profound friendship, Wu said the MoU will also make significant contributions to speeding up the border demarcation negotiations and advance the process of establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries.

China is a good neighbor, friend and partner of Bhutan, and the two countries should treat each other as equals, co-exist peacefully and seek mutual benefits and win-win results, said Wu.

For his part, Tandi Dorji said the MoU is of historic significance and is the result of joint efforts and sincere cooperation of years between Bhutan and China.

He said Bhutan will work with the Chinese side to implement the MoU, unswervingly push forward the border demarcation negotiations, and commit to strengthening relations between the two countries.