MEETING WITH XI JINPING, PRESIDENT OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
President of Mongolia Khaltmaagiin Battulga arrived in the People’s Republic of China and met President Xi Jinping today (February 27).
The President is accompanied by D.Tsogtbaatar, Minister of Foreign Affairs, D.Gankhuyag, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Mongolia to the People’s Republic of China, Major General T.Badral, Head of the National Emergency Management Agency, U.Shijir, Chief of Staff to the President, and T.Tegshjargal, Foreign Policy Advisor to the President.
This is the fifth meeting between the heads of state of the two countries.
At the outset, President Battulga extended condolences to the people of China over their loss and hardships caused by the novel coronavirus outbreak (Covid-19). Along with warm greetings, President Battulga said his visit comes in respect to the traditions and courtesies exercised between Mongolia and China from ancient times, adding Mongolian words of wisdom: “A needle in need is of greater use than a camel in prosperity” as it implies “adversity reveals the quality of friendship”.
President Battulga said that “The people of China, under the guidance of President Xi Jinping, can subdue the novel coronavirus outbreak and overcome this impermanent challenge soon,” while expressing his confidence in China’s science-backed efforts in defeating the novel coronavirus spread, and remarked that the international community, as a whole, will benefit from such a victory.
Moreover, President Battulga said that the Mongolian people were equally concerned about the outbreak of novel coronavirus as Mongolia shares the longest land border (4709.6 km) with China. The latter also said on the imposition of ban on travel across the border due to the current situation that he trusts that the restrictions will be lifted and growth will be observed in bilateral trade turnover and economic cooperation in the future as a result of joint efforts.
President Battulga also touched upon the donation campaign titled ‘Aid from the Heart to our Eternal Neighbor’ that was launched by the Government of Mongolia, the voluntary donations made by the Mongolian people and entities that were handed over to the Chinese side, and the donation of 30 thousand sheep by the people of Mongolia within the scope of this visit, saying that these contributions will be measured in the depth of its significance in bilateral ties, rather than in their size.
President Xi Jinping expressed sincere gratitude to President Battulga for paying a visit to China despite the current situation in the country while quoting the Chinese word of wisdom “If you have received a drop of beneficence from other people, you should return to them a fountain of beneficence,” with credit to Confucius, as well as the Mongolian proverb on friendship.
President Xi Jinping also stressed the fact that this was a first visit at the level of a head of state to China since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus and noted that the visit presented an opportunity to open new doors within the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership relations of the two countries.
During the meeting, the sides concurred that the situation surrounding the novel coronavirus outbreak didn’t concern only one country, thus requiring collaboration, and exchanged views on current issues.
As such, the sides concluded that the meeting, having taken place at a time of the novel coronavirus outbreak in China and an ongoing nationwide fight against it, is proof that the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries has reached a new height and the demonstration of an ideal cooperation between neighboring countries to the world.
Present at the meeting were, members of the official delegation from Mongolia, and from the Chinese side, Yang Jiechi, Director of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission and Member of the Central Politburo of the Communist Party of China, Wang Yi, State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs, He Lifeng, Minister in charge of the National Development and Reform Commission, Zhong Shan, Minister of Commerce, and Chai Wenrui, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to Mongolia.
The meeting proceeded in a warm and friendly atmosphere.
