China’s President Xi Jinping calls for stronger ties with Mongolia ahead of US official’s visit

Xi tells Mongolian president the neighbours should ‘support each other’s core interests and major concerns’

US deputy secretary of state’s trip to Mongolia is part of an itinerary that also includes Japan and South Korea but it is not known if she will visit China

Reading Time:2 minutes

President of Mongolia Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh is reported to have thanked China’s President Xi Jinping for China’s help during the pandemic. Photo: Reuters

Published: 5:05pm, 19 Jul 2021Updated: 10:31pm, 19 Jul 2021

On the eve of a visit to Mongolia by a senior US diplomat, Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for the China-Mongolia relationship to be strengthened by mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity and he said China would buy more of its neighbour’s products.

In a phone call with Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh on Friday, Xi said China and Mongolia shared an increasing number of common interests.

“Both sides should respect each other’s independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and independent choice of development paths chosen by the two peoples and accommodate and support each other’s core interests and major concerns,” Xi said, according to an account by the Chinese foreign ministry.

Xi added that China was willing to continue to support Mongolia’s fight against Covid-19, and would import more minerals and agricultural products from Mongolia.

Xi also called for deepening cooperation in areas such as minerals, infrastructure and the environment.

The call came before US deputy secretary of state Wendy Sherman’s trip to Mongolia, Japan and South Korea, starting on Sunday.

The US Department of State said Sherman would “reinforce our strategic partnership and discuss our shared values of democracy and human rights” during her trip to Mongolia.

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2x faster

1.25x

250 WPM

Slow

Average

Fast

00:0000:00

1.25x