The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday advanced a 69.5-billion-U.S.dollar funding package for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol, days after missing President Donald Trump's self-set June 1 deadline.
The lower chamber approved the procedural measure by a vote of 213-211, after the U.S. Senate passed the bill on Friday.
Democrats have pushed for reforms to ICE operations following the fatal shooting of two U.S. citizens by federal agents in Minneapolis in January, but Republicans have repeatedly rejected their demands, resulting in a deadlock in negotiations over funding of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which led to a record 76-day shutdown of the department.
On April 30, Trump signed a bill to fund most of the DHS, including the Coast Guard, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Transportation Security Administration. That bill, however, did not include funding for the department's immigration enforcement agencies.
U.S. House narrowly advances ICE, Border Patrol funding bill
Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh met with Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese foreign minister, in Ulan Bator on Saturday.
During the meeting, Khurelsukh said the Mongolia-China relationship has become a model for inter-state relations in the region.
The two countries have consistently respected each other's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, while deepening mutually beneficial cooperation across various sectors, he said, noting that bilateral trade is expected to reach 20 billion U.S. dollars this year.
Describing China as Mongolia's good neighbor, Khurelsukh said that developing friendly relations with China is a top priority of Mongolia's foreign policy.
Khurelsukh said Mongolia is committed to the one-China principle, regarding Taiwan as an inalienable part of China's territory, and opposes any form of "Taiwan independence" activities. It also considers matters related to Hong Kong, Xizang and Xinjiang as China's internal affairs. Mongolia will not do anything that harms China's interests, regardless of its relations with other countries.
He also noted that Mongolia is willing to strengthen cooperation with China in regional and international affairs.
For his part, Wang said China has always put China-Mongolia relations at an important place in its neighborhood diplomacy, noting that China has both the will and the capability to be a neighbor that Mongolia can rely on, a trustworthy friend, and a partner in accelerating its development.
Wang reaffirmed China's respect for Mongolia's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as the development path that Mongolia has chosen for itself.
He expressed readiness to work more closely with Mongolia to align development strategies, tap into the full potential of bilateral cooperation, advance existing collaboration in areas such as connectivity, energy and mineral resources, trade and investment, and create new growth drivers for cooperation in key minerals, green development, the digital economy, and other emerging fields.
During his three-day visit, Wang is also scheduled to meet with Mongolian Prime Minister Nyam-Osor Uchral and hold talks with Foreign Minister Batmunkh Battsetseg.
Mongolian president meets Chinese FM
