Wang made the remarks during talks with visiting Mongolian Foreign Minister Damdin Tsogtbaatar.

"The Mongolian side's declaration is very important. It has increased the two sides' mutual trust," Wang said, emphasizing that trust was a key factor to ensuring healthy and stable China-Mongolia relations.

Wang said China and Mongolia are friendly neighbors. He added “the new Mongolian government has sent a clear message to the Chinese side on maintaining mutual trust and properly handling sensitive issues, and the country has expressed a strong desire to deepen cooperation with China."

Tsogtbaatar said Mongolia "firmly adheres to the One China Policy and maintains Tibet and Taiwan are inalienable parts of the Chinese territory. Mongolia is willing to promote the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries to a new high on the basis of respecting each other's independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and core interests."

Tsogtbaatar said the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China had "outlined a blueprint for China's future development and set the goal to promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, as well as making an important contribution to world development that would bring opportunities to neighboring countries."

Wang said China welcomes Mongolia's attitude and believed bilateral ties would continue in the right direction.

He said China would respect Mongolia's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity and will respect the Mongolian people's choice of development based on their country’s conditions.

In a joint press conference, the two leaders called for continuing high-level meetings and more exchanges in culture, education, technology, tourism, economic cooperation and trade. They said they would convene the first meeting of a joint committee on China-Mongolia people-to-people exchanges as soon as possible.

The leaders also agreed to coordinate in the Belt and Road Initiative, as well as in Mongolia's Prairie Road development initiative. The two countries said they will coordinate in the establishment of a cross-border economic cooperation zone and will begin feasibility research for a China-Mongolia free trade agreement. Both leaders have agreed to push forward with the construction of the China-Mongolia-Russia economic corridor.

Wang added that China will continue to support the Mongolian side to overcome economic difficulties with free assistance and loans programs.

On the secondary market for government bonds, 462 bonds with a value of MNT48.3 million were traded.

On the secondary market for government bonds block trading, 1,049 bonds with a value of MNT106.3 million were traded.

On the secondary market for corporate bonds, 9 bonds with a value of MNT0.9 million were traded.

The MSE ALL Index increased by 0.68 percent to stand at 1,257.20 points. The MSE market cap stands at MNT2,643,993,750,031

“I would like to note that the foreign policy and relations of Mongolia have been and are successful and the reputation of Mongolia is elevated on the international scene,” the Prime Minister began, before updating the Parliament with the latest developments in Mongolia’s relations with the international community.

“The issuance of an official instruction on improving responsibility and upholding discipline and high ethical values in public service during the first meeting of the new Cabinet addressed foreign relations as well. It is imperative to hold a united position when it comes to foreign relations, approach foreign policy from a single window and integrate under a common management. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for ensuring the unity of stances internally before presenting an issue abroad on behalf of Mongolia, and corresponding government bodies must assist the Ministry in doing so. Only then, Mongolia can successfully and efficiently carry-out its foreign policy objectives,” said the Prime Minister, noting that his Cabinet will work towards implementing the main foreign policy objectives set by Mongolia.

Prime Minister U.Khurelsukh illustrated the importance Mongolia attaches to its relations with the two direct neighbors Russia and China, discussing how the relations are broadening and flourishing in every sector. Then the Prime Minister continued with remarks on Mongolia’s partnership with its third neighbors, the US, Japan, the EU, India, the Republic of Korea, Turkey and Australia and consistent will to broaden cooperation.

Since 1990, Mongolia has established investment promotion agreements with 43 countries and 38 agreements are effective today. Since most of the agreements were established before 2010, a working group has been established to formulate a new sample agreement compliant with the SDGs.

Mongolia plans to establish a Permanent Council on Study of Technology, Innovation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which will assist businesses and national manufacturers in finding and networking with international partners and entering foreign markets through Mongolia’s foreign diplomatic missions in about 40 countries.

“We are confident that our friends and partners will support Mongolia’s prosperity and growth. Only, it is time for Mongolia to enforce a responsible, disciplined and united policy internally and realize a friendly and appropriate foreign policy,” he concluded his report.

Over the last three months bitcoin has doubled in value every month, but with the gains have come some truly scary volatility. In the last week of November bitcoin dropped $2,000, plunging from north of $11,000 to $9,428 in just one session. But as of Sunday, bitcoin was on the move again, last trading at $11,274.

So it seems only natural that with many investors piling into cryptocurrency and blockchain technology companies, some precious metals companies might be tempted to make a pivot.

That's exactly what happened with a small Israeli gold company that decided six weeks ago to refocus on blockchain and cryptocurrencies. According to its website Natural Resource Holdings (TLV:NLH) has acquired five deposits in North America hosting a combined 1,590,000 ounces of gold, 34.5 million ounces of silver, and 430,000 tonnes of zinc/lead. Then the focus changed to bitcoin.

In the last month and a half the shares of NLH have leapt 1300% in Israeli New Shekels. According to Bitcoin.com the company's first step is to acquire a Canadian bitcoin mining farm, and is in negotiations with BACKBONE Hosting Solutions to buy 75% of its shares in exchange for 75% of its own stock. Bitcoin.com says the announcement has made NLH the 10th most actively traded stock on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.

Could other gold companies follow suit and lead to an eclipse of gold by bitcoin, with a rush of investors fleeing the gold space? According to renowned precious metals investor Frank Holmes, the answer is likely no.

That's because gold has other uses besides currency, it doesn't need massive amounts of power to be traded, and it is far more liquid. Or in his words:

For one, cryptos are strictly forms of currency, whereas gold has many other time-tested applications, from jewelry to dentistry to electronics.

Unlike cryptos, gold doesn’t require electricity to trade. This makes it especially useful in situations such as hurricane-ravished Puerto Rico, where 95 percent of people are reportedly still without power. Right now the island’s economy is cash-only. If you have gold jewelry or coins, they can be converted into cash—all without electricity or WiFi.

Finally, gold remains one of the most liquid assets, traded daily in well-established exchanges all around the globe. Every day, some £13.8 billion, or $18 billion, worth of physical gold are traded in London alone, according to the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA). The cryptocurrency market, although expanding rapidly, is not quite there yet.

The workshop offers opportunity for private sector companies and community members to present problems and constraints and to decide on opportunities for cooperation and solutions for improved management in Mongolia. Civil society input is an important part of the stakeholder consultation process, and Mongolia is leading the way, in ensuring local stakeholders inputs are included in the strategy.

The workshop was organized under the REDD+ Mongolia’s civil society platform called the Forest and Sustainable Development Council. This was established to provide input to the development of policies and measures, and ensure local stakeholder and communities viewpoints are considered. The Council has provided considerable input towards development of the national REDD+ strategy and currently has over 18 representatives of organizations. A REDD+ strategy will be developed which aims to reduce forests degradation, enhance forests resources and provide economic opportunities for Forest User Groups and Enterprises as part of Mongolia’s sustainable development goals.

Mo Munshi, a dual UK and Australian citizen, has been in detention in Ulaanbaatar since June.

The November appeal upheld the original sentence of 11 years in prison and penalty damages of 31 billion Mongolian Tugriks (around $16.7 million Australian dollars), but the court added a further penalty involving the suspension of mining licences.

Mr Munshi’s case now goes to the Mongolian Supreme Court and, according to his son Arif, may be heard “sometime in January 2018”.

“Dad could be moved at any point to a regional closed prison. Visitation rights are one short visit in 90 days and one long visit once in 120 days”.

He said the restrictions apply to lawyers and family alike. “Consular staff may be able to visit more often but they are unclear as to what they intend to do if dad gets moved” he said.

Radio 6PR was contacted by a man from Tasmania by the name of Ben who claims to be connected to the Mongolian ex-pat community.

Ben said that he had been in touch with a foreign national who had spent time in a cell with Mr Munshi and that “Mo’s back is in very bad shape and he is struggling to walk”.

Mr Munshi’s Perth lawyers who travelled to Mongolia in September described the conditions in detention as “bleak”, and echoed the family’s concerns about his deteriorating health.

They say he has been imprisoned in Mongolia for a civil matter and have called on the Federal Government for assistance.

Arif said the lack of assistance was disappointing. “It’s extremely distressing for us,” he said.

The arrangement was approved by the Supreme Court of British Columbia but it remains subject to final approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. In the meantime, trading of shares of CobalTech will be halted. The shares have to be delisted from the TSX Venture Exchange at close of December 4, 2017.

As a result of the merger, CobalTech shareholders will receive 0.2632 of a common share of First Cobalt for each CobalTech share held and CobalTech will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of First Cobalt. All outstanding share purchase warrants of CobalTech have also been exchanged.

First Cobalt, a firm that began drilling at the Cobalt Camp in 2017, controls over 10,000 hectares of prospective land and 50 historic mining operations as well as a mill and the only cobalt refinery in North America permitted to produce battery materials.

The company is currently advancing its Silver Centre property, a 2,100-hectare site in the historic mining camp located 400 kms north of Toronto and 25 kms south of Cobalt, Ontario. The property includes the formerly active Keely-Frontier mine, a high-grade mine that produced over 3.3 million pounds of cobalt and 19.1 million ounces of silver.

The miner expects to discover new high-grade cobalt and silver mineralization at the site, based on results from a 2012 exploration program.

“Over a very short period we have created the largest cobalt exploration company in the world, controlling almost half of what we believe may be the most prospective cobalt district outside of the DRC. We intend to pursue an aggressive exploration program in 2018 while continuing to assess other growth opportunities," First Cobalt's President & Chief Executive Officer, Trent Mell, said in a corporate press release.