Mongolian pact called 'milestone'

BEIJING - China and Mongolia established a strategic partnership on Thursday and vowed to cooperate more in Mongolia's exploitation of mineral resources.

Premier Wen Jiabao and Mongolian Prime Minister Sukhbaatar Batbold discussed the strengthened partnership after talks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

In 2003, Chinese President Hu Jintao went to China's northern neighbor to establish a partnership of mutual trust between Beijing and Ulan Bator, the capital of Mongolia.