PRESIDENT ELBEGDORJ MEETS WITH PRESIDENT XI JINPING

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ The President of Mongolia Ts.Elbegdorj met on May 19 with the President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping in Shanghai. After the meeting, the Presidents of the two neighboring countries had breakfast together. At the meeting, the state leaders touched upon issues on enhancing the political and economic cooperation, promoting the regional partnership, before exchanging views on measures to take place in framework of celebration of Mongolia-China Friendly Exchange Year, which was announced earlier in connection with the 65th anniversary of Mongolia-China diplomatic relations and the 20th anniversary of establishment of the treaty on Friendly Relations and Cooperation, both marking this year. The parties also discussed cooperation in infrastructure, ongoing coal gasification project, transit transports and seaport use. The Presidents emphasized increased bilateral cooperation in the mineral and energy sectors which plays an important role in the mutual trade and economic partnership of the two countries. This year, China will host summits of APEC, and President Xi Jinping expressed a support for Mongolia in joining to APEC as a member state. The meeting was supposed to end in 40 minutes, but it lasted two hours, during which the Presidents exchanged views on various issues in a friendly atmosphere. President Elbegdorj invited President Xi Jinping to visit Mongolia, noting his confidence that the visit of the President of China to Mongolia will bring the bilateral relations to a new stage. President Elbegdorj will meet with the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin on May 20, and will attend the Fourth Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia in Shanghai, on May 20 - 21.