ULAN BATOR - Chinese and Mongolian environmental authorities met here Monday and agreed to strengthen cooperation in environmental protection and sustainable development.

At the meeting, Vice Minister Li Ganjie of the Chinese Ministry of Environmental Protection said China and Mongolia are good neighbors with a long borderline, and enhancing environmental cooperation serves the interest of both countries.

Li expressed willingness to launch collaboration programs with the Mongolian side in the fields of desertification monitoring, control and prevention; the development and utilization of renewable energy; and the construction of cross-border natural reserves.

Following the meeting, the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding on environmental protection cooperation, which covers, among others, ecological protection, biodiversity conservation and pollution prevention.

The two sides also agreed to cooperate in protecting Mongolia's rare gobi bears. China will share its experiences in protecting giant pandas to help Mongolia protect its endangered species, whose population is only 22 currently.