Ulaanbaatar
Foreign Ministries of Mongolia and China hold 6th Strategic Dialogue virtually
Politics
Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ The 6th
Strategic Dialogue between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia and
the People's Republic of China was held virtually on December 23. The virtual
meeting was co-chaired by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia
B.Munkhjin and Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs of China Wu Jianghao.
The sides expressed pleasure
that bilateral relations are progressing amid the pandemic, emphasizing that
the heads of state, parliament speakers, and the prime ministers of the two
countries had phone conversations and made high-level visits in 2021, and
agreed to organize high-level visits and meetings next year.
The deputy foreign ministers
underscored that trade and economic cooperation has grown compared to last
year and that there has been a noticeable increase in trade between the two
countries. Moreover, they exchanged views at length on keeping trade and
economic cooperation as smooth as possible during the pandemic, especially on
intensifying border checkpoint activities and increasing the entry rate of goods.
The Mongolian side put forth
proposals to promptly resume freight transport across Zamiin-Uud-Erenhot border
checkpoint, ensure normal rail transport, restore export of non-mining
products, intensify the activities of Shiveekhuren-Sekhee and
Bichigt-Zuunkhatavch border checkpoints, raise entry rate of goods through
Gashuunsikhait-Gantsmod and Khangi-Mandal border checkpoints, and enable
transport of goods that require special permits through Gashuusukhait-Gantsmod,
Shiveekhuren-Sekhee, Bulgan-Takashiken, Bichigt-Zuunkhatavch, and Khangi-Mandal
border checkpoints. The Chinese side acknowledged the proposals and undertook
to take action, stressing the importance of improving infection control
measures and reducing the risk of cross-border transmission in increasing the
entry rate of goods.
Deputy Minister B.Munkhjin
thanked the Chinese side for its support to Mongolia’s pandemic efforts as well
as the assistance of vaccines and other products.
The sides agreed to study the
feasibility of easing travel restrictions in light of the pandemic situation.
They also discussed regional
and international issues of shared interest and affirmed their willingness to
further strengthen cooperation within regional and multilateral mechanisms.
The Strategic Dialogue is
organized annually between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs at a
Deputy-Ministerial level to review the development of bilateral relations and
discuss short-term goals and major events, and regional and international
cooperation.
