China and Mongolia should strengthen joint prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Wednesday in a phone conversation with Mongolian Foreign Minister D.Tsogtbaatar.

Noting that China and Mongolia are good neighbors and good friends, Mr. Wang Yi said that in the battle against the epidemic, the two sides have written another chapter on cooperation between neighboring countries which help each other and share weal and woe.

Mongolian President Kh.Battulga, as the first head of state of a foreign country who visited China after the outbreak of the epidemic, demonstrated his support for China with practical actions, adding that Battulga’s offer of 30,000 sheep on behalf of the Mongolian people has generated a warm response among the Chinese people, and enhanced the traditional friendship between the two sides.

Wang Yi said that with arduous efforts, China has successfully brought the epidemic under control, and is steadily restoring economic and social order while conducting regular prevention and control measures. The Chinese side is glad that Mongolia took effective prevention and control measures at an early date and has halted the spread of the disease in Mongolia, said the Chinese foreign minister.

Wang Yi urged the two countries to continue to strengthen joint prevention and control measures, explore the resumption of bilateral economic and trade cooperation in an orderly and scientific way, and push for resuming work and production of key projects.

He expects the two sides to explore the establishment of a green channel to facilitate personnel exchanges and cargo delivery. Wang Yi stressed that the epidemic is a common challenge facing the humankind, and that the international community should join hands to tide over the crisis.

Noting that solidarity, cooperation and determination are in need at this time, Wang said any words and deeds that run counter to them are inappropriate, and attempts to politicize the epidemic and label the virus are unacceptable.

China is ready to work with Mongolia to actively advance international anti-epidemic cooperation and strive for an early and complete victory over the virus.

For his part, D.Tsogtbaatar said that after the COVID-19 outbreak, China has taken timely and effective prevention and control measures to contain the epidemic in a short period of time, which demonstrates its strong mobilization capabilities and medical science and technology. China’s success will inspire other countries in their fight against the virus, while China’s experience is also of great significance to the rest of the world, he added.

Recalling the Mongolian president’s visit to China in February and the important consensus reached with President Xi Jinping on anti-epidemic cooperation, Tsogtbaatar said with joint efforts, Mongolia and China have registered no infections from the other side.

Mongolia is ready to strengthen coordination with China, and realize its promise of sending 30,000 sheep to the Chinese people, said the Mongolian minister.

On the premise of safeguarding the health and safety of the two peoples, Mongolia is ready to take advantage of the two countries’ joint prevention and control mechanism and other platforms, explore with China the establishment of the green channel and an express line, improve logistics efficiency at border ports, and gradually resume bilateral economic and trade exchanges, he said.

Mongolia is willing to deepen coordination and cooperation with China, so as to overcome the impact and challenges brought by the epidemic at an early date, he said.