Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L) and Mongolian Prime Minister Ukhnaa Khurelsukh shake hands during their meeting in Ulan Bator, Mongolia. Photo by BYAMBA-OCHIR / EPA
June 14 (Asia Today) — Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh reaffirmed his country’s support for China’s position on Taiwan and said issues involving Hong Kong, Tibet and Xinjiang were China’s internal affairs during a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
Khurelsukh met Wang in Ulaanbaatar on Saturday and said maintaining friendly relations with China was one of the most important priorities of Mongolia’s foreign policy, according to Chinese state media.
“Mongolia understands and respects China’s positions and concerns and firmly adheres to the one-China principle,” Khurelsukh was quoted as saying.
He said Mongolia considers Taiwan an inseparable part of Chinese territory and does not support any form of Taiwanese independence.
Khurelsukh also said issues involving Hong Kong, the Tibet Autonomous Region and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region were China’s internal affairs.
He said Mongolia would not take any action that harmed China’s interests because of its relations with other countries.
Khurelsukh said the two countries have consistently respected each other’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity while deepening mutually beneficial cooperation.
He predicted that bilateral trade would reach $20 billion this year.
Mongolia shares a roughly 2,900-mile border with China, the longest land border China has with any neighboring country.
Wang arrived in Mongolia on Saturday for a three-day visit after accompanying Chinese President Xi Jinping during Xi’s visit to North Korea on June 8 and 9.
Wang is a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, China’s foreign minister and director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs.
During his meeting with Khurelsukh, Wang said China has consistently placed its relationship with Mongolia in an important position within its diplomacy toward neighboring countries.
China is willing and able to serve as “a dependable neighbor, a trustworthy friend and a partner that helps accelerate Mongolia’s development,” Wang said.
He said China respects Mongolia’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“A close neighbor is better than a distant relative,” Wang said.
He said Beijing highly valued Mongolia’s decision to treat the development of relations with China as a top foreign policy priority, describing the approach as consistent with Mongolia’s fundamental interests.
China regards Taiwan, Tibet and Xinjiang as matters involving its sovereignty and territorial integrity and routinely seeks public support for its positions from neighboring countries and diplomatic partners.
Mongolia has long maintained a one-China policy while balancing relations with China and Russia, its two immediate neighbors, and pursuing ties with other democratic countries.
— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI
© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.
Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260614010004724