Chinese premier visits Japan, Mongolia
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Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao Tuesday wrapped up his three-day official visit to Japan calling it "a journey of confidence and hope."
Later in the day, he arrived in Mongolia for a two-day tour, the third leg of his four-nation Asian tour.
In an interview with Japanese public broadcaster NHK, Wen said he had achieved the objectives of deepening mutual trust, enhancing cooperation and consolidating the foundation for friendship.
"The visit is successful," he said.
Important agreements were reached, including re-establishing a hot line between the heads of the two governments, creating a maritime communication mechanism and speeding up the establishment of a maritime rescue agreement, Wen said.
The two sides also discussed ways to strengthen bilateral economic and trade cooperation, Wen said. He also called for promotion of bilateral cultural and people-to-people exchanges.
On Tuesday afternoon, Wen arrived in Ulan Bator and held separate talks with Mongolian Prime Minister Sukhbaataryn Batbold and chairman of the State Great Hural of Mongolia Damdingiin Demberel.
Wen and his Mongolian counterpart signed a series of agreements to boost bilateral trade and economic cooperation.
The Chinese premier called on both sides to make joint efforts to advance the partnership of good-neighborliness and mutual trust and continue to extend firm support to each other on major issues concerning their respective core interests.
He suggested practical measures should be taken to deepen their trade and economic cooperation, including a feasibility study on a China-Mongolia free trade area (FTA).
Batbold said Mongolia would adhere to the one-China policy and steadfastly supported the Chinese government's position on Taiwan and Tibet while seeking to further increase trade and economic cooperation with China.
In his meeting with Demberel, Wen said good exchanges and cooperation had been maintained between China's National People's Congress, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and the Mongolian State Great Hural.
He called on the legislative bodies of the two countries to maintain close and friendly exchanges and make new contributions to the development of bilateral ties.
Demberel spoke highly of China's development and said Mongolia was committed to expanding exchanges and cooperation with China.
Mongolia is the third leg of Wen's Asian trip, which first took him to South Korea. He will leave for Myanmar later Wednesday.
