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China and Mongolia on Thursday pledged to further promote bilateral cultural and people-to-people exchanges in the years to come.

China is set to invite 100 Mongolian youths per year to visit China during the five years starting 2015, while 50 Chinese youths will visit Mongolia annually under the same program, said a joint declaration signed here by visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Mongolian counterpart, Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj.

In the coming five years, China will provide the Mongolian side with 1,000 training opportunities and 1,000 more government scholarships, and invite 250 media representatives to visit China, according to the document, which announced the upgrading of bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

The two sides also agreed to continue to hold such events as culture weeks to enhance cultural and art exchanges and cement bilateral friendly ties.

In addition, they vowed to deepen cooperation in the protection of both physical and intangible culture heritage and jointly crack down on smuggling of cultural relics.

China is to provide Mongolia with the translated version of 25 outstanding Chinese movies and TV series free of charge in the five years to come, and will assist Mongolia in setting up a cultural center in Beijing, according to the declaration.

Also, China and Mongolia agreed to enhance communication and cooperation in such areas as ethnic culture studies, languages, traditions, history, arts, sports and traditional medicine.

Xi arrived here earlier in the day for a two-day state visit to Mongolia.

It is the first visit in 11 years by a Chinese 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.

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