China and Mongolia pledged economic cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative and the Prairie Road development strategy during Chinese President Xi Jinping's meeting with his Mongolian counterpart Ukhnaa Khurelsukh in Samarkand, Uzbekistan on Thursday.

Xi said China is willing to enhance the two countries' connections in the Belt and Road Initiative and the Prairie Road development strategy, forwarding the construction of the China-Mongolia-Russia economic corridor.

In 2013, Xi proposed the Belt and Road Initiative to improve regional connectivity and economic integration. The Prairie Road development strategy, an economic plan introduced by Mongolia, aims to boost trade with neighboring markets.

Underlining the importance of global development and security initiatives, Xi expressed a willingness to support the growth of Mongolia.

He said China supports Mongolia's "Planting One Billion Trees" plan and is willing to actively cooperate with the country to combat desertification.

Khurelsukh said Mongolia is willing to propel cooperation with China in fields such as trade, railway and the environment.

Xi also said China is ready to carry forward traditional friendship with Mongolia and expand mutually beneficial cooperation to elevate the China-Mongolia comprehensive strategic partnership to a new level.

China is willing to strengthen the exchange of experience with Mongolia in governance, Xi said.

Khurelsukh said the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries is a model relationship as their traditional friendship has been going strong.

He also thanked China for providing help to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, calling it a great contribution toward protecting people's health in Mongolia.

Mongolia firmly adheres to the one-China policy and firmly opposes any country's interference in China's internal affairs, as issues related to the Taiwan region, Xinjiang and Tibet are China's internal affairs, he said.