Mongolia set to join China in WWII anniversary events

Mongolia wants to join hands with China to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, the country's Foreign Minister Lundeg Purevsuren said when he met with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Wednesday evening in Beijing.

Mongolia made a significant contribution to the fight against fascism during World War II, he said, and both countries should hold commemorative activities together, such as producing TV programs on the war and organizing veterans to revisit the battlefields together.

Wang welcomed Mongolian participation and said the anniversary was a good opportunity to remind people of the contribution and sacrifice of generations past and show the resolution of Asia to protect global peace.

Relations between the two countries have entered a fruitful period, Wang said, and have been upgraded to "comprehensive strategic partnership" since President Xi Jinping's visit to Mongolia in August. The foreign ministers discussed the concrete achievements from the consensus made by the leaders of both countries.

Saying the Chinese proposed Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21 Century Maritime Silk Road could be combined with Mongolia's national infrastructure "Prairie Road" program, Wang believed that the construction of a Eurasian high-speed transport corridor linking Beijing and Moscow will boost regional connectivity and growth.

Wang also said both countries had started the establishment of a cross-border trade zone and Mongolia had played an active role in financial cooperation with China, for example, as a co-founder of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).

According to Xinhua, China and Mongolia agreed on March 27 to dedicate nine square km on either side of their border to a joint economic zone.

Purevsuren echoed Wang by saying that Mongolia is willing to cooperate with China in the Road and Belt Initiative and could become a "bridge" connecting Asia and Europe.

Gao Shumao, a former Chinese ambassador to Mongolia said the cooperation between China and Mongolia could be strengthened in mining, infrastructure and financial sectors.

Mongolia has been an active partner of China since President Xi Jinping's visit last year. It was one of the first countries to apply to join the AIIB, it quickly supported the Road and Belt Initiative of China and a mining cooperation agreement concerning the massive Tavan Tolgoi coalmine, which involves Chinese companies, is under negotiation, Gao said.

Viewing the cross-border trade zone as part of the Belt and Road Initiative which will focus on jointly building a new Eurasian Land Bridge and developing the China-Mongolia-Russia economic corridor, Gao believed that further cooperation between China and Mongolia will be of significant benefit to various sectors in both countries.

wangxu@chinadaily.com.cn