On the morning of September 2, President Xi Jinping held the seventh meeting of heads of state of China, Russia and Mongolia with President Vladimir Putin and President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

President Xi pointed out that the trilateral cooperation among China, Russia and Mongolia has developed steadily and achieved tangible results. The medium-term roadmap for trilateral cooperation has been smoothly implemented. The trade volume among the three countries has been rising steadily, and cooperation in economy and trade, science and technology, ecological conservation and culture has been further deepened. As a friendly neighbor linked by mountains and rivers and sharing weal and woe, China stands ready to work with Russia and Mongolia to adhere to the original aspiration of cooperation, dispel external interference, and jointly promote high-quality trilateral cooperation.

President Xi put forward a three-point proposal on advancing China-Russia-Mongolia cooperation.

First, cement political trust. Amid growing volatility and challenges in the international situation, it is all the more important that the three countries strengthen solidarity and collaboration, enhance mutual support, respect each other’s core interests and major concerns, and provide solid strategic underpinning for their respective paths of development and revitalization.

Second, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation. Taking physical connectivity as a key direction, the three countries should actively promote their cross-border infrastructure and energy projects, and make such cooperation more substantive. Taking institutional connectivity as a major pillar, the three countries should enhance the alignment of their development strategies and increase the size of local currency settlement. Taking people-to-people connectivity as an important foundation, the three countries should enhance the exchanges among their neighboring provinces and states, and step up cooperation in tourism and cultural heritage protection.

Third, collaborate more closely within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). The SCO is a primary platform for countries in the region to jointly safeguard security and seek common development. The three countries should make good use of the cooperation platforms and centers established following China’s proposal during the Tianjin Summit to expand cooperation space.

President Putin noted that Russia, China and Mongolia are friendly neighbors with a long tradition of cooperation. Enhancing political mutual trust is of great significance and conducive to consolidating the foundation of trilateral relations. Russia is ready to carry out strategic cooperation with China and Mongolia that is equal, mutually beneficial and future-oriented, so that the trilateral cooperation and bilateral cooperation can complement and reinforce each other. The three countries should align their development strategies more closely, strengthen connectivity, increase trade and investment, deepen cooperation and exchanges in such areas as finance, energy, the digital economy, education, environmental protection and tourism, facilitate their respective economic development, promote regional economic integration, and enhance people-to-people bonds.

President Khurelsukh noted that China and Russia are important neighbors of Mongolia. Mongolia is committed to strengthening bilateral relations, expanding the trilateral cooperation, promoting the China-Mongolia-Russia economic corridor, and enhancing cultural and people-to-people exchanges, so as to bring benefits to people of the three countries and advance regional development and prosperity. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union. The people of Mongolia, China and Russia should jointly celebrate and commemorate this historical moment and promote a correct historical perspective on World War II.

Cai Qi and Wang Yi were present at the meeting.