China is ready to work with Mongolia to improve bilateral economic and trade cooperation, strengthen cooperation on infrastructure construction, coal and other energy development, and jointly safeguard energy security and a stable supply, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said on Monday. 

Li made the remarks when meeting with visiting Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsuh in Beijing, stressing that China-Mongolia cooperation is not only conducive to regional stability and development but also contributes to world peace.

China will actively promote cooperation on border transit and railway connectivity, and hopes the two countries will strengthen cooperation in combating desertification and strive to cope with climate change, Li added.

As friendly neighbors, Li said China and Mongolia "enjoy unique conditions for developing friendly cooperation and have distinct complementary advantages in many aspects."

China has always attached great importance to its relations with Mongolia and placed bilateral ties in an important position in its neighborhood diplomacy, he said.

The premier said China is ready to maintain closer high-level exchanges with Mongolia, respect each other's core interests and major concerns, and strengthen the synergy of development strategies.

China will also deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields, enhance communication and coordination in regional and international affairs, and jointly push China-Mongolia ties to a new high, Li said.

For his part, Khurelsukh said Mongolia is willing to work with China to deepen cooperation on infrastructure, energy and desertification prevention and control.

Mongolia stands ready to facilitate logistics and transportation, and improve customs clearance at border ports, and make joint efforts to push Mongolia-China comprehensive strategic partnership to a new high, Khurelsukh said.

"Mongolia and China are good neighbors, good friends, and good partners," Khurelsukh said.

Mongolia is committed to developing long-term, stable, good-neighborly friendly relations with China, he said, adding that Mongolia is willing to enhance the synergy of development strategies of the two countries and work to upgrade bilateral trade.

(With input from Xinhua)

(Cover: National flags of China and Mongolia are seen at Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China, November 27, 2022. /CFP)