From June 23-26, 2024, the President of Mongolia made his first visit to Uzbekistan, marking the deepening and broadening of relations between the two countries.
The visit marked the deepening and broadening of relations between the two countries.
During the visit, the two sides reached a broad consensus and signed more than 10 important documents, including a joint statement on cooperation between the two countries, covering a wide range of key areas, including diplomacy, trade and economy, agriculture and transportation.
Particularly noteworthy was the joint analysis of the most efficient and shortest transportation corridors the two countries discussed, and of which Mongolia hopes to use the upcoming construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway to enhance cross-border transportation with Central Asian countries.
In order to improve transport connectivity, the two sides are also expected to reach major agreements on air and road transport, and the issue of opening direct flights between the capitals of Uzbekistan and Mongolia was discussed.
In addition, the two presidents paid special attention to deepening trade and economic cooperation between the two countries. The sides noted that in the coming years the volume of bilateral trade is expected to increase by a factor of between 5 and 10, mainly due to the expansion of the range and volume of supplies of necessary products.
Mongolia has a strong demand for cross-border transportation
Mongolia, located between China and Russia, is the second largest landlocked country in the world after Kazakhstan. Mongolia is rich in coal, copper, iron and other mineral resources, but due to its landlocked location, it can only use ports to go to the sea or cross-border transportation through Russia and China, which has high transportation costs and limits the export of mineral resources.
Therefore, in recent years, Mongolia has been actively promoting infrastructure development, especially connectivity with neighboring countries.20 In May 2024, Mongolia's first standard-gauge railroad, the Siberian-Kurun Border Crossing Railway, was opened. The railroad is the second cross-border railroad between China and Mongolia, which not only connects the Siberkuren Port with the Ceke Port, but also serves as an important cross-border railroad connecting the "economic corridor" between Russia, Mongolia and China, which will open up a new transportation channel for the export of minerals from Nariin Sukhaitu Mines.
The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway is of great strategic significance
The ancient country is actively seeking to connect to the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, a move that signals the country's efforts to create an entirely new export corridor that will connect directly to Central Asian countries and even Europe.
This strategic move will not only help Mongolia reduce logistics costs and improve freight efficiency, but more importantly it will lead to the country's economic diversification.
Most importantly, it will provide Mongolia with new opportunities to diversify its economy, effectively reduce external economic risks, and ensure the country's economic stability and prosperity. Through this new corridor, Mongolia will be able to
Through this new channel, Mongolia will be able to better integrate into the global trading system and realize mutual benefits with more countries.
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