Chinese leaders meet Mongolian foreign minister

Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao (R) meets with Mongolian Foreign Minister Luvsanvandan Bold in Beijing, China, Jan. 17, 2014. (Xinhua/Zhang Duo)

Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi (R) meets with Mongolian Foreign Minister Luvsanvandan Bold in Beijing, China, Jan. 17, 2014. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao and State Councilor Yang Jiechi on Friday respectively met with visiting Mongolian Foreign Minister Luvsanvandan Bold, reaffirming China's commitment to stronger ties with Mongolia.

Bold is the first foreign minister to visit Beijing this year, which will witness a trio of celebrations in China-Mongolia relations.

This year marks the 65th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Mongolia relationship, the 20th anniversary of the Treaty on Friendly Relations and Cooperation between Mongolia and China and the China-Mongolia Friendship and Exchange Year, Li said.

Both Li and Yang called on both sides to seize opportunities, implement important consensus reached by the two leaders, build strategic trust, enhance mutually-beneficial cooperation, deepen the bilateral strategic partnership, seek common prosperity and benefit the two peoples.

Bold said Mongolia gives top priority to developing friendly ties with China and sees the China's development as an important opportunity, pledging to deepen bilateral pragmatic cooperation in all fields.

In his meeting with Bold, Yang hoped the two countries would facilitate trade cooperation, and make arrangements for activities of the China-Mongolia Friendship and Exchange Year, to promote greater progress of bilateral ties.

Bold reiterated the importance his country attached to developing relations with China, vowing to cement substantial cooperation in various areas and promote common development.

Bold began his visit to China on Thursday. In the meeting between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Bold on Thursday, they agreed to increase annual two-way trade volume to 10 billion U.S. dollars, and explore the feasibility of building a free-trade zone.