A 5.3 magnitude earthquake hit the northern Mongolian province of Khuvsgul on Saturday morning, according to the country's Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics.

The quake occurred around 87 km northwest of Ulaan-Uul soum division of the province at 9:18 a.m. local time (0118 GMT), the institute said.

The quake was felt across the province, and there is no immediate report of damage, it added.

Australia said all decisions on foreign investment are made in its national interest and it expects trade talks with China to continue, after reports Beijing had protested Canberra’s decision to block a Chinese investment in a rare earths mining company.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers said on Wednesday he had blocked a Chinese investor from raising its stake in a rare earths mining company this month on the advice of the Foreign Investment Review Board.

Australia blocked Yuxiao Fund, which is the Singapore-registered private company of Chinese mining investor Yuxiao Wu, from raising its ownership of Northern Minerals to 19.9% from 9.92% on “national interest” grounds, the Australian miner told Reuters.

The South China Morning Post reported China had protested the decision, citing unnamed sources.

“All investment decisions are made in Australia’s interests and within the regulatory framework,” a spokesperson from Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement to Reuters on Friday.

China’s embassy in Australia did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Relations between the two countries have been improving after a years-long diplomatic freeze, with Australia asking China to remove unofficial “trade blockages” on its exports.

China is pressing for Australia to drop its complaints over Beijing’s sanctions on barley and wine at the World Trade Organization.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong and her Chinese counterpart Qin Gang discussed bilateral trade impediments on Thursday on the sidelines of the G20 in New Delhi, the statement said.

“The Australian Government looks forward to continued engagement,” it said.

Wong told reporters after the meeting “both parties can grow our bilateral relationship while safeguarding our national interests, if we both navigate our differences wisely.”

Australia has previously said it would become more selective about who it lets invest in its critical minerals industry, amid concern about monopolies.

Northern Minerals plans to become the first significant world producer of dysprosium, a key component for magnets for electric vehicles, outside China which controls 94% of supply.

(By Kirsty Needham; Editing by Lincoln Feast)

What do Bray, Mongolia, Lake Bacalar in Mexico, and Burlington, Vermont have in common? Well, according to the travel writers and editors of Time Out Magazine they are all among the most underrated travel destinations in the world.

Tasked with creating a list of 14 hidden gems across the globe, the venerable publication created a list spanning everything “from tiny islands and seaside towns to massive lakes and whole countries” with “legitimate hidden gems” which offer “great alternatives to popular spots in the same region”.

Illustrating the high regard in which Time Out holds Bray, the number one hidden destination on the list was an entire country, east Asian nation Mongolia.

Known for its traditional gers (yurts), friendly nomadic people, and herds of wild horses stomping across untouched steppes, Mongolia has to be experienced to be believed. With a new international airport and affordable local-led tours, this seemingly far-flung country is more accessible than you’d expect. For a perfect introduction to the country, spend a couple of days in the capital, Ulaanbaatar – it’s surprisingly clustered and easy to explore – then take in the picture-perfect ranges and fresh mountain air of Gorkhi Terelj National Park. Stay the night under the stars in your own ger and don’t be surprised if nomadic herders stop by to welcome you.

Mongolian Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai paid a four-day working visit to South Korea from February 14-18. Since establishing a strategic partnerships in 2021, Ulaanbaatar and Seoul have made efforts to bolster economic relations, particularly in mineral extraction, tourism, and urban development.

On February 15, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo received the Mongolian delegation led by Oyun-Erdene. The Mongolian prime minister was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Development Khurelbaatar Chimid, Foreign Minister Battsetseg Batmunkh, Minister of Construction and Urban Development Davaasuren Tserenpil, Minister of Culture Nomin Chinat, and others.

Oyun-Erdene’s visit to Seoul marked the first time in 12 years that a Mongolian prime minister had visited South Korea. During the meetings of the heads of government, Han highlighted the significance of Mongolia-South Korea bilateral relations within Seoul’s Indo-Pacific Strategy.

For his part, Oyun-Erdene emphasized the importance of South Korea as both a trading partner and a gateway through which landlocked Mongolia could send its goods farther abroad. “We see South Korea as one of our customers, and the newly signed agreement between our two countries will help Mongolia trade globally through seaports such as Busan,” he told Reuters.

These high-level bilateral meetings are meant to activate Mongolia-South Korea economic activities, increase investments, and deepen cultural ties.

South Korea is one of Mongolia’s closest “third neighbors” in the region. Trade, tourism, cultural exchanges, and educational cooperation with South Korea all intersect with and have a direct impact on Mongolian society.

The Mongolian delegation’s agenda in Seoul largely circled around Mongolia’s long-term development plan, Vision 2050, and the Oyun-Erdene administration’s post-COVID-19 New Revival Policy. Mongolia and South Korea signed six new Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with several new components that will enrich their strategic partnership.

According to the office of the Mongolian prime minister, Mongolia and South Korea have agreed to start negotiations on an economic partnership agreement between the two countries. They also agreed to cooperate in the supply chain of rare metals; cooperate on mitigating climate change; boost their militaries’ information sharing and capability enhancement; support cultural activities, programs, and content creation; and lastly, cooperate in urban planning and development projects.

In 2021, during an online summit between Mongolian President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa and the then-president of South Korea, Moon Jae-in, the two leaders agreed to advance cooperation in mineral extraction, which can be utilized to support South Korea’s high-tech industry. Mongolia’s rich natural resources, such as copper, tin, nickel, and molybdenum have the potential to be exported to South Korea and beyond.

On a broader scale, such cooperation can assist South Korea’s supply chain issues, while Mongolia can gain an export outlet to the rest of the world using the Busan seaport. “I believe Busan could serve as a sea gate for Mongolia,” Oyun-Erdene told the Korea Herald.

“Plans are under review to create a research team to continue our cooperation with Busan as a sea transit open for Mongolia.”

In addition to expanding Mongolia-South Korea’s cooperation in mineral extraction, Oyun-Erdene invited South Korean investors to take part in urban planning and development of a new satellite city on the outskirts of the newly built international airport in the Khoshig Valley. According to a December 2022 Technical Assistance Report from the Asian Development Bank, “The proposed satellite city aims to attract residents, public services, and economic activities currently overconcentrated in Ulaanbaatar, the capital city of Mongolia.”

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) estimated the total cost of the project to be $200 million, of which the ADB would provide $100 million and the Mongolian government would provide $50 million. The remaining $50 million is expected to come from “cofinancing [loans and/or grants] from development partners” – possibly including South Korea – for a total of $45 million and “at least $5 million” in funds “mobilized from the private sector and capital market.”

The idea behind creating satellite cities and towns is to relieve Ulaanbaatar’s overpopulation. In addition, if these newly established communities and urban projects adopt green initiatives and environmentally friendly solutions, this could be an added benefit for Mongolia, providing an opportunity to attract investment in renewable energy.

From Mongolia’s foreign policy and economic perspective, strong economic ties with South Korea, particularly in Mongolia’s traditional strength of exporting natural resources, can assist Ulaanbaatar to establish multiple economic corridors. Each corridor will serve as an integral part of the national economy.

While mineral trade and urban development are included in the recent MOUs, newer initiatives such as content creation, culture, and education can also have a positive impact on Mongolia’s non-mining sectors. Mongolia also supported South Korea’s bid to host the World Expo 2030 in Busan, which has been a key goal for both the previous Moon and current Yoon administrations.

GUEST AUTHOR

Bolor Lkhaajav

Bolor Lkhaajav is a researcher specializing in Mongolia, China, Russia, Japan, East Asia, and the Americas. She holds an M.A. in Asia-Pacific Studies from the University of San Francisco.

Mongolia’s vast territory, ranging from the Gobi Desert in the south to the mountainous Taiga, is home to nomadic pastoralists who depend on mobile herding of Bactrian camels, yak, goat, sheep and horses to provide them with food, goods, and income. The area also supports widespread mining activities and licenses and taxes generated from these are an important source of government revenue.

But the social impact of mining is significant and can result in forced displacement and loss of income, without adequate compensation. Mining operations can also affect pastoralists’ mental and physical health and their social and spiritual well-being.

Whilst large international companies are usually held to the high environmental and social impact standards expected by donors such as the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation, smaller national companies need comply only with the more basic environmental legal standards set by the Mongolian government. Companies and government departments are often unaware of how mining impacts traditional mobile communities and have little understanding about how to engage with those affected and to manage negative social impacts.

‘Mining companies may look at the land they wish to develop and consider it unused or empty,’ explains Dr Ariell Ahearn. ‘They may not be aware of pastoralists on the land, how they use it, or what it contributes to their livelihoods. They may also imagine that nomads can simply move to another area to avoid mining operations. But not all areas are suitable for herding and the presence of other groups in an area may make this impossible.’

New research by the Department of Geography and the Environment, in collaboration with Mongolian colleagues, has provided robust evidence of the social impact of mining in six rural communities in Mongolia and Kyrgyzstan. Wider engagement with a network of Mongolian human rights and civil society organisations has brought the evidence to the attention of government, mining companies, international agencies, and the public.

‘Our research enabled our partners in Mongolia to show that it is not just isolated incidents of mining activity that affect pastoralists, but that mining has a sustained impact on many groups of herders across a wide area,’ says Dr Ahearn. ‘In this way they have been able to make the case for new social standards and guidelines to inform mining operations and address negative impacts.’

The network has worked with the Mongolian Cabinet office to develop the first Social Impact Assessment guidelines (SIA), which take account of traditional mobile pastoralist forms of land use and set out routes to engagement with local herders. The guidelines were initially reviewed by the Cabinet Office, who instructed the Ministry of Environment on the 8 February 2023 to finalise the standard in the first half of the year. The goal is that social impact assessment will be undertaken by all mining companies, rather than being a voluntary exercise undertaken by only some.

The network was also instrumental in setting up a Policy Impact Working Group which is building on the research to develop new policies on compensation, resolving conflict, herder rights, and social impact obligations. A wider programme of public engagement and knowledge exchange has helped to raise awareness of the social impact of mining, and there is evidence that companies are seeking more information and making unilateral attempts to change their practice.

Ahearn adds: ‘Mitigating the social impact of mining on mobile pastoralist communities – an often-excluded group, living on state land without legal rights but with customary protections – is extremely complex. We hope that our research and engagement will help to foster trust, transparency, and cooperation between mining stakeholders in Mongolia, and contribute to efforts to protect pastoralists’ way of life, maintain social cohesion, and ensure inclusive and sustainable economic development.’

Dr Ariell Ahearn is Departmental Lecturer in Human Geography in the School of Geography and the Environment

Key partners

Bayarsaikhan Namsrai, Director of Steps without Borders, Mongolia

Munkhtseren Sharav, Head of the Government Cabinet Working Group, Mongolia

National University of Mongolia, Department of Anthropology and Archaeology

Funders: ESRC, GCRF, Oxford Policy Engagement Network

The Government of Mongolia announced 2023-2025 as the year of “Welcome to Mongolia”. In 2023, an air travel agreement will be signed with 50 countries, and the possibility of 105 destinations will be created.

As a result of the visit of L.Oyun-Erdene, the Prime Minister of Mongolia, to the Republic of Korea this year, the frequency of flights between Korea and Mongolia increased from 44 to 80 flights per week. In other words, 11 flights per day are available. Following amendments have also been made.

Frequency of flights to Japan will increase from 26 per week to 62

Frequency of flights to Thailand will increase from 10 per week to 30

Frequency of flights to Turkey will increase from 6 per week to 34

Frequency of flights to Beijing will be 42 flights per week

An air communication agreement with Qatar and Kuwait has been granted. There will be direct flights to the Middle East and West Asian countries, the turnover of export cargo will increase, and it will be of great importance for the development of tourism.

"OPEN SKY" agreement will be concluded with the United States in June of this year, and direct flights between two countries will be made.

In 2023, "OPEN SKY" agreement will be concluded with Australia.

Within the first half of this year, an air communication agreement will be concluded with GREECE, HUNGARY, and GREAT BRITAIN.

Flights to 9 more local destinations will be made.

During its regular session on March 1, 2023, the Cabinet made the following decisions:

The Government of Mongolia will exercise its ownership right in Mongolian Oil Refinery plant through the Erdenes Mongol LLC.

The Cabinet made a decision to exercise its ownership right in Mongolian Oil Refinery plant through the Erdenes Mongol LLC. Accordingly, the Executive Director of Erdenes Mongol LLC was tasked to amend the company charter. Minister of Mining and Heavy Industry J. Ganbaatar was tasked to control over the construction process of oil refinery plant and crude oil pipelines in accordance with the policy of relevant ministry.

About 210 thousand tons of coal have been traded via Mongolian Stock Exchange

In order to organize the market trade of mining products in an open, transparent and fair manner, create favorable condition where the prices are set by exchanges, attract investors into mining sector through integrated export policy, openly disseminate the information on trading, agreements and deals to the international market, and improve the competitiveness of the mining products, the “Procedures on Open E-Trade of Coal for Export” was approved by the Resolution No. 466 of the Government of Mongolia in December 14, 2022.

Within the framework of this procedures, 210 thousand tons of coal of Energy Resources LLC and Erdenes Tavantolgoi LLC have been traded through five online auctions since January 12, 2023.

Based on the feedbacks and suggestions from the e-trade participants, the Cabinet amended the “Procedures on Open E-Trade of Coal for Export”, approved by the Resolution No. 466 of the Government of Mongolia. According to the amendment, coal terminal for the coal traded through e-trade is changed to “Container Terminal or Loading and Unloading area at Gantsmod border checkpoint” and security deposit rate is decreased from 10% to five percent.

S. Byambatsogt: In 2023, the Air Communication Agreement will be signed with another ten countries.

The Cabinet approved the draft Agreement on Air Communication of the Government of Mongolia with Qatar and Kuwait and decided to grant the signing right to the Minister of Road and Transport Development S. Byambatsogt. Goals to liberalize the air transport, increase the number of foreign flights, resume the domestic flights and make the Chinggis Khaan International Airport an international hub airport are included in the Action Plan and the “New Revival Policy” of the Government of Mongolia. Furthermore, the tourism is one of the main sectors for diversifying economy and increasing the income received in foreign currencies. The Government announced 2023-2025 as the “Years to Visit Mongolia”. To that extent, the Minister of Road and Transport Development has been striving for comfortable air transport, affordable tickets and sufficient number of flights. As of today, Mongolia has signed Air Communication Agreement with 39 countries and in 2023, it is expected to sign Agreement with another ten countries.

The Minister of Road and Transport Development said, “We are going to sign ‘Open Sky’ Air Communication Agreement with the USA and Australia in 2023. Other agreements with Greece, Hungary, and the United Kingdom will be finalized in the first half of this year. The establishment of the Air Communication Agreements will allow Mongolia to conduct flights to airline hubs without any restrictions.”

2 new COVID-19 cases were recorded in Mongolia in past 24 hours.

1 of them is contact in Ulaanbaatar, and another one was registered in the regions. No imported cases were found.

2 patients with COVID-19 were sent to hospitals in Ulaanbaatar and another province.