ULAN BATOR, July 2 (Xinhua) -- A statue of the Maitreya Buddha, built with the assistance of a famed Chinese temple, was unveiled at the Dashchoilon Khiid monastery in Zuun Khuree, an area in Mongolia's capital, on Sunday.

Senior officials and religious figures from Mongolia and China, including Mongolian Prime Minister Ukhnaa Khurelsukh and Chinese Ambassador to Mongolia Xing Haiming, attended the unveiling of the 23-meter, copper statue.

The construction, assisted by the Yonghegong Lamasery in Beijing, started in 2010.

Xing said China and Mongolia are friendly neighbors whose ties have grown in a wide range of areas.

"Today's event is an example of deepening religious relations between the two countries," he said.

The Maitreya Buddha, regarded by most Buddhist traditions as the future Buddha, is also known as the Buddha of Loving Kindness.