Chinese Vice President Zeng Qinghong met in Beijing Saturday with the Citizens Will-Republican Party of Mongolia delegation, led by S. Oyun, the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party delegation, led by D. Idevkhten, and the Democratic Party of Mongolia, led by L. Gansukh.

Zeng, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said Mongolia is an important neighbor of China. The Chinese and Mongolians have traditionally cultivated friendship.

The mutual trust and cooperation between the two countries meet the basic interests of the two peoples, Zeng said.

In recent years, he noted, the two countries scored new achievement in political, economic, cultural and educational cooperation.

Zeng also said that exchange and cooperation between political parties in the two countries have pushed the relationship forward.

Frequent contact and exchanges between the political parties and figures of the two countries would increase mutual understanding, enhance friendship, solidify mutual trust and promote cooperation, Zeng acknowledged.

Oyun said that the exchange of high-profile visits between the two countries helped expand friendly and cooperative relations, and that the Mongolian government and all political parties support the one-China policy.

Idevkhten said he very much valued the friendly, equal-footing cooperation between his party and the CPC.

Gansukh said the third International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) will show that Asia is becoming increasingly more important.

The three Mongolian parties are here attending the third ICAPP, which is scheduled from Sept. 3 to 5.

(Xinhua News Agency September 5, 2004)