Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/. On April 4, Minister for Foreign Affairs B.Battsetseg had a telephone conversation with China’s State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi to exchange views in detail on the international situation, issues of mutual interest including bilateral relations and cooperation, reopening of border checkpoints and increasing exports and imports.

During the telephone conversation, Minister B.Battsetseg touched upon certain issues such as increasing the exports and imports through Mongolia-China border checkpoints, improving infection control regimes, reopening border checkpoints in phases, resuming freight flow, promptly delivering containers that have accumulated at the Tianjin Port to Mongolia, and using other potential seaports within the frame of resolving the matters.

Expressing he understands that border crossings’ operation is a priority issue in Mongolia, Mr. Wang Yi noted China attaches great importance to the policy for Revival of Border Ports set out in the ‘New Revival Policy’ being implemented in Mongolia. He also noted that the Chinese government is working to ensure the normal operation of border crossings and increase imports, in addition to works underway to resume operations of some border checkpoints that were suspended due to the pandemic, and to intensify the construction work at border checkpoints.

Specifically, construction works at Sekhee and Laoemyao border checkpoints, which are expected to be commissioned in the near future, are being carried out successfully. The Chinese side also said that Mongolia’s further improvement of infection control regime at border ports would be a main condition to conduct freight shipment undisturbed.

Foreign Ministers noted that ensuring the normal operations of border checkpoints plays important role in bilateral trade and economic cooperation, and expressed their commitment to work closely to enhance the operation of border checkpoints.