Mongols are the nationality that introduced Europeans to Asia and Asia to Europeans. When I say Asia, I mean both Central and East Asia. The Mongols conquered the vast Eurasian territories in the XIII-XIV century and played a major role in culture, humanity, civilization, and information.

The Chinese Silk Road was developing during the Great Mongolian Empire. Mongolians maintained its safety, order and trading culture along the way. In the history of Iran, the Ilkhanate of Mongolia gave the hand of salvation to Iran's Persian culture and it preserved without fading. Mongolia's Golden Horde had a tremendous role in Russian culture, which has a unique Eurasian culture and heritage. In particular, Mongolia helped Russia to merge into a single state. In China's history, Mongolia led Chinese kingdoms to unify and make Beijing the capital of the Yuan Dynasty as the capital of Ming, Qing, Dynasty, and China. In this way, the Mongols and their ancestors started the great migrations of Eurasian transcendental nations and tribes.

The geographical location of Mongolia is rather unique as it stretches from west to east. The horizontal position of Mongolia is the link to Central Asia and Northeast Asia and in the broad sense, it is a bridge for the West-East connection. The location of the north and south are considered unique and spectacular within Russia and China. From this perspective, this unique location urges Mongolian politicians to search for third neighbors.

Historically, Mongolia was regarded as a buffer zone in the first half of the 20th century by Russia-Japan, then Soviet Union-Japan, Russia-China, Soviet Union-China, and Soviet-Chinese buffer zone in the second half. In that sense, Mongolia's external environment was created in the twentieth century, with the revolution in Mongolia. Mongolia has had a great history, including the struggle, the outcome of the Khalkhyn Gol war, the status of Mongolia's acceptance of the status quo, the socialist construction, the 30-year conflict of Soviet-China, and the 20-year conflict of Mongolia-China during the war, and the eastern side of the communist bloc headed by the Soviet Union.

The aspiration to have third neighbors became one of the most important things among the leaders of the Mongolian society in the midst of the revolutionary national liberation of 1911. The new objective of Bogd Khan was the priority of Mongolia's diplomatic service, which was to persuade the two neighbors into accepting the independence, as well as other larger states, to unite Inner Mongolia in Khalkh.

Mongolian Ministry of Foreign Affairs made an official note to nine countries including France, England, Germany, the United States, Belgium, Japan, Denmark, Holland, and Austria on November 18, 1912. The exchange of diplomatic missions between the governments mentioned in the note indicated that the agreement between Russia and Mongolia stated: "The friendship of the two countries should be extended and to start trading by signing the contract".

After the separation from Manchus and receiving the approval of other countries (excluding Tibet), our patriarchs have entered St. Petersburg and went into the locked doors of foreign countries' embassies.

It was the first step of Mongolia's third neighbor policy and the proof of the ability to be a legal subject in international relations. Limiting the diplomatic efforts of a third neighbor was basically restricted under the three treaty agreements of Khyagt, which was the first major evidence that both sides did not support the third neighbor policy.

After the victory of the People's Revolution, Tseveen Jamsran (who had been invited by the Foreign Ministry to be a Cultural Affairs Officer from Buryatia at the beginning of 1912), called for the establishment of a neutral state as the country was waiting for some government support. "Mongolia is a country that has been approved by both the Soviet Union and China and has to be a neutral state approved by many other countries. It is like Switzerland, " he said in 1926.

At the time, the people of MPRP opposed Tseveen Jamsran as a Western ideologist and believed in maintaining neutrality between the socialist (CCCP) and capitalist (China) conditions in the capitalist environment, which would cause Mongolia to become prey for imperialists and threaten its liberation and independence. It was another proof that both neighbors did not support the two neighbors' policy.

The views and attempts to secure independence by getting approved by third neighbors in Central Asia, as well as becoming a neutral state like Switzerland, were misrepresented into taking side with Japan and betraying to the Japanese imperialists during the 1937 repression. There is evidence that Prime Minister Genden Peljid reported this to Stalin.

Genden. I would like to ask you for explanations on the Independence of the People's Republic of Mongolia.

Stalin. In regard to Independence, your country is, in fact, an independent state. As I know, only the Soviet Union has accepted your sovereignty. Is that so? Your country inofficially separated from China, and did not declare it. Really?

Genden. Yes, That’s true. No one except the Soviet Union accepted us, nor did we officially separated from China.

Stalin. Is there any official representative of your country in China? Would you like other countries to accept the independence of your country? Do you want to have a formal relationship with them? Have you ever talked to other subjects on this topic somewhere?

Genden. Chinese delegation does not exist. Not to be accepted by foreigners. I have not discussed this subject with any foreign delegates.

Stalin. Do not. Do you want to be recognized by foreigners? Did you not discuss this subject with other foreign delegates?

Genden. Yes. I did not negotiate with anyone. You know that we have punished the people who requested Japan’s approval. You would know better how would be recognized by foreigners. The issue of acceptance of the People's Republic of Mongolia is not a domestic matter, it is an international issue.

(CNN)The reincarnation of the Dalai Lama must "comply with Chinese laws," the Chinese Communist Party government has said as the Tibetan spiritual leader recovers in hospital from a chest infection.

Asked about the 83-year-old Buddhist monk's hospitalization on Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Beijing wasn't aware of the physical condition of the 14th Dalai Lama. But he added that there are "clear rules" regarding the reincarnation of "the living Buddha."
"Reincarnation of living Buddhas, including the Dalai Lama, must comply with Chinese laws and regulations and follow religious rituals and historical conventions," Lu said, adding that China respected religious freedom for all its citizens.
The Dalai Lama has lived in India since his self-imposed exile from Tibet in 1959 following the arrival of Chinese troops in the region, which Beijing claims has always been part of China.
Since then, he has become an international celebrity, winning a Nobel Peace prize and feted by some of the world's top leaders. He has also remained a perpetual thorn in the side of the Chinese government.
The Dalai Lama's private secretary Tenzin Taklha said Tuesday the aging monk had been hospitalized with a chest infection after returning to his home in Dharamsala, India, following a meeting in New Delhi.
On Thursday, Taklha said he would be released soon. "He had a chest infection and as suggested by doctors, he took some antibiotics. He is much better now," he said.
But the spiritual leader's illness has once again raised questions over what will happen to Tibetans and their religion when the Dalai Lama dies.

Last Dalai Lama?
It isn't completely clear whether the Dalai Lama will allow himself to be reincarnated after he dies. The Tibetan spiritual leader has hinted in recent years that he might be the last person to hold the title.
Previously, the title of Dalai Lama, the highest-ranking leader in Tibetan Buddhism, was bestowed on the reincarnation of a line of revered religious teachers, whose identity was chosen by their senior monks.
The 14th Dalai Lama was enthroned when he was four years old after being discovered by a delegation of monks.

University's China Studies Research Center, said there was no requirement for the next Dalai Lama to be born in Tibet.
In a statement released by the spiritual leader in 2011, the Dalai Lama said it was inappropriate for the Chinese government to supervise his reincarnation.
"They say they are waiting for my death and will recognize a 15th Dalai Lama of their choice. It is clear from their recent rules and regulations and subsequent declarations that they have a detailed strategy to deceive Tibetans," he said.
The leader of Tibetan Buddhism said in his statement he would consult with his fellow monks when he was "about 90" on whether the institution of Dalai Lama should continue.
China is an officially atheist state. While the Communist government promises religious freedom to all citizens, there have been worrying signs of a growing crackdown on religion in the past decade.
In the western region of Xinjiang, as many as two million Muslim-majority Uyghurs have been placed in detention centers as part of a policy to eradicate their cultural and religious practices, according to the US state department.
In 2018, authorities tore down dozens of predominantly Protestant Christian churches through the country after ruling that they were built or run "illegally."
Reincarnation subject to approval
The Dalai Lama's fears of interference by Beijing in the reincarnation process are not without precedent.
In the 1990s, a process to find the reincarnation of the 11th Panchen Lama, another important religious leader in Tibetan Buddhism, ended in division and controversy after the Dalai Lama's chosen candidate disappeared and a successor selected by the Chinese government was put in his place.
But Gamble said the Dalai Lama would be under heavy social pressure to reincarnate and, in the end, it might not be up to him anyway.

"In some ways, it's not really his choice. If people go looking for him, they'll find him," she said. The most likely outcome was for two Dalai Lamas to emerge after the 14th holder of the title passes away, Gamble said -- one picked by the Tibetans-in-exile and one selected by Beijing.
Although he no longer calls for Tibetan independence, the Dalai Lama has continued to demand cultural autonomy for Tibet. China calls him a traitor and "a wolf in monk's robes."
He has also remained a point of tension between India and China. Nearly 100,000 Tibetan refugees live in India after fleeing China in 1959.
The Dalai Lama has faded from the spotlight in recent years. In 2018, he announced that he would be cutting back his international travel, citing age and exhaustion.
Asked in a recent interview with Reuters what might happen after his death, the Dalai Lama anticipated a possible attempt by Beijing to foist a successor on Tibetan Buddhists.
In the interview, the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize laureate said: "In future, in case you see two Dalai Lamas come, one from here, in a free country, one is chosen by Chinese, and then nobody will trust, nobody will respect (the one chosen by China). So that's an additional problem for the Chinese. It's possible, it can happen."
Article five of a Chinese government law, which lays out the "management measures" for Tibetan Buddhism, says the reincarnation of a living Buddha is "subject to an application for approval."
CNN's Sugam Pokharel contributed to this article.