Beijing, 9 September 2024 (TDI): Chinese Vice President Han Zheng has concluded a three-day visit to Mongolia, during which both countries committed to deepening their bilateral ties and expanding cooperation in various fields.
During his visit from Friday to Sunday, Vice President Han held separate meetings with Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh, Prime Minister Luvsannamsrai Oyun-Erdene and Parliament Speaker Dashzegve Amarbayasgalan.
The talks were aimed at enhancing cooperation between the two neighbours, with a particular focus on energy, infrastructure, and regional affairs.
Chinese analysts emphasised that Mongolia values its relationship with China, considering its strategic position as a key neighbor to both China and Russia.
Mongolia is seen as having a significant role in promoting regional development.
In his meeting with Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene, Han Zheng called for closer cooperation in energy, connectivity, and infrastructure development, as well as increased consultation and coordination on international and regional issues.
He welcomed Mongolia’s initiative to designate 2023-2025 as the “Years to Visit Mongolia,” and expressed China’s readiness to enhance exchanges with Mongolian youth, students, and media.
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Vice President Han also highlighted the importance of strengthening trilateral cooperation between China, Mongolia, and Russia, particularly by accelerating the construction of the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor.
Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene, in turn, expressed Mongolia’s willingness to work with China to further their relations in the spirit of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and shared development.
The visit follows Russian President Vladimir Putin’s earlier trip to Mongolia this month, underscoring Mongolia’s importance to both China and Russia as a crucial partner and neighbor, according to Cui Heng, a research fellow at the Center for Russian Studies at East China Normal University.
Mongolia’s Importance
Cui noted that cooperation between Northeast China and Russia’s Far East would contribute to regional integration in Northeast Asia, with Mongolia expected to benefit from this process. He cited the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor as an example of such collaboration.
Experts noted that China, Mongolia, and Russia share a common goal of promoting regional development and connectivity, which not only benefits the three countries but also demonstrates that international cooperation can thrive despite global tensions marked by bloc confrontations and protectionism.
Da Zhigang, director of the Institute of Northeast Asian Studies at the Heilongjiang Provincial Academy of Social Sciences, stated that trilateral cooperation, traditionally focused on energy and mining, will expand to include areas such as climate change and green development.
