ULAN BATOR - President Xi Jinping arrived in Ulan Bator on Aug 21 for a two-day state visit to Mongolia.

It was the first visit in 11 years by China’s head of state to Mongolia, and also the second time for Xi to make a one-stop trip to a foreign country since he took office in March 2013.

Xi is scheduled to hold talks with his Mongolian counterpart Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj and meet other leaders of the country. He will also deliver a speech at the State Great Hural of Mongolia, the country’s parliament.

This year marks the 65th anniversary of China-Mongolia diplomatic ties, the 20th anniversary of the revision of the Treaty on Friendship and Cooperation between China and Mongolia, and it happens to be the China-Mongolia Friendship and Exchange Year.

Analysts believe Xi’s visit will boost the strategic partnership between the two neighboring countries.

China has been Mongolia’s largest trading partner and largest source of foreign investment over the past 10-plus years.

The two-way trade volume between China and Mongolia stood at only 324 million US dollars in 2002, and has rocketed to 6 billion dollars in 2013, accounting for more than half of Mongolia’s total foreign trade.