Full coverage: Premier Li Visits Mongolia, Attends ASEM

China and Mongolia agreed to speed up the alignment of their development strategies and boost bilateral practical cooperation in major fields for better accomplishment of mutual benefits and win-win results, visiting Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said during a visit to Ulan Bator Thursday.

Together with his Mongolian counterpart Jargaltulga Erdenebat, Premier Li said China stands ready to dovetail its Belt and Road Initiative with Mongolia's Steppe Road program. China is willing to start a feasibility study on a free trade pact with Mongolia, he added.

While meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc prior to the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit, He urged Vietnam to value the hard-won momentum in the development of bilateral relations and jointly safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea with China. Nguyen Xuan Phuc, for his part, said Vietnam respects China's stance on the arbitration.