Alicia J. Campi
Dr. Alicia Campi has a Ph.D. in Mongolian Studies, was involved in the preliminary negotiations to establish bilateral relations in the 1980s, and served as a diplomat in Ulaanbaatar. She has a Mongolian consultancy company (U.S.-Mongolia Advisory Group), and writes and speaks extensively on Mongolian issues.
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Articles by Alicia J. Campi
Mongolia Links Gas Transit Pipeline to Asian Super Grid Negotiations
During the September 12 meeting of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF), in Vladivostok, Russia and Mongolia, together with China, Japan, and South Korea, signed a number of hydrocarbon production and
Mongolia’s Place in Northeast Asia’s Renewable Power Grid
During the fifth meeting of the Ulaanbaatar Dialogue on Northeast Asian Security, held on June 14–15, in the Mongolian capital, regional energy and environmental cooperation projects were major highlights (Mongol
Mongolia Strengthens Cooperation With Russia in Fields From Nuclear Research to Transit Rail
When Khaltmaa Battulga assumed the presidency of Mongolia in July 2017, most foreign and domestic observers believed he would pursue a much more pro-Russian policy than his globalist-minded predecessor, Tsakhia
Russo-Sino-Mongolian Transit and Infrastructure Cooperation and Mongolia’s New President
On July 10, Mongolia swore in its new president, Khaltmaa Battulga—a former professional judo wrestler, wealthy businessman, former Democratic Party (DP) parliamentarian, and former minister of transportation and construction (2008–2012).
A Revival of the Mongolian-Russian Friendship?
On the eve of Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev’s visit to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, for the 11th Annual Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit (July 15–16), an article appeared in the Russian media
Mongolian Mega Construction Projects Push for Energy Security, Regional Connectivity
Mongolia’s national energy program has made significant progress in the past year. According to Energy Minister Dashzeveg Zorigt, in 2015, legislation regulating the energy sector was revised, electric power imports
Developments at Mongolia’s Two Largest Mines Obscure Government’s Pre-Election ‘Go Slow’ Strategy
Looking ahead to 2016, Mongolia’s government publicized a series of major developments in its large state-owned mining projects of Oyu Tolgoi (OT) and Tavan Tolgoi (TT), which could pull the
German and Japanese Leaders Visit Mongolia, Expand Economic Projects
Over the past year, Mongolia has worked to institutionalize its foreign policy concept of “trilateralism,” according to which the landlocked Northeast Asian republic is attempting to insert itself into Russia
Mongolia’s Place in China’s ‘One Belt, One Road’
Although the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has been active in promoting its ‘One Belt, One Road’ (OBOR) Eurasian and maritime initiative during the last two years, to the north
Mongolian Military Trains With US Troops While Preparing for Exercises With Russia
The Mongolian Armed Forces (MAF), working with the United States Pacific Command (USPACOM) and the US government’s Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI) program, hosted their annual multinational exercise known as
Mongolia, Russia and China Work to Boost Transcontinental Rail Transit
Deputy ministers of railway and transportation from Mongolia, China and Russia met, on April 9–10, in Ulaanbaatar, for their first consultative meeting since a tripartite summit among the presidents of
Mongolia and Turkey Expand Energy and Free Trade Zone Cooperation
Cooperation between Mongolia and Turkey, particularly in the energy sector, intensified in the first quarter of 2015. On March 3, Mongolian Minister of Energy Dashdorj Zorigt, in a meeting with
Mongolia Signs Economic Deal With Japan to Offset Chinese and Russian Trade Domination
The new Prime Minister of Mongolia, Chimediin Saikhanbileg, whose ‘Reconciliation Government’ has been in power less than three months, visited Japan on February 9–11 to sign a Mongolian-Japanese Economic Partnership
Amid US Retreat From Region, Mongolia Seeks Closer Ties to China and Russia
The United States’ muted profile in mineral-rich, landlocked Mongolia receded even more in 2014. Indeed, the US has largely stood by while Mongolia deliberately integrated its faltering economy closer with
Mongolia’s Prime Minister Ousted for Failure to Resolve Economic Woes, Corrupt Practices
Mongolian politics were shaken on November 5, when the parliament voted to dismiss Prime Minister Norov Altankhuyag for not addressing the country’s drastically slowing economic growth, plunging foreign investment, and
Xi and Putin in Ulaanbaatar: Mongolia’s Balancing Act
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Mongolia on August 21–22 signaled closer trilateral economic cooperation between China, Russia and Mongolia on their shared vision of a new Silk Road
The Rationale Behind Putin’s Visit to Mongolia Amid the Ukrainian Crisis
While on a several-day visit to the Russian Far East (see Jamestown Blog on Russia and Eurasia, September 9), Russian President Vladimir Putin spent less than six hours in Ulaanbaatar,
Mongolian-Japanese Economic Partnership Agreement: Counterbalancing China and Russia
On the 40th anniversary of establishing bilateral diplomatic relations, Mongolia’s President Tsakhia Elbegdorj and Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met in Tokyo on July 22, 2014, to sign a Joint
China Seeks to Strengthen Mongolian Trade Links During August Trilateral Summit
This year Sino-Mongolian relations have been buffeted by a series of challenging interruptions: the Mongolian government’s standoff with Rio Tinto over expanding underground mining operations at Oyu Tolgoi (OT) which
Ulaanbaatar Dialogue on Northeast Asian Security
On June 17, the Mongolian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Mongolia’s Institute for Strategic Studies (ISS) organized an international seminar entitled “Ulaanbaatar Dialogue on Northeast Asia.” The brainchild of Mongolian
Mongolia Makes Moves to Reach out to Russia in Reaction to Ukraine Crisis
After having abstained from the March 27 United Nations General Assembly resolution vote condemning Russia’s annexation of Crimea, Mongolia has continued its public silence regarding Russian actions in Ukraine. This
Mongolia Hosts Brief Visit From US Defense Secretary
The last stop of US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel on his ten-day trip to Hawaii and Asia was to landlocked Mongolia. His short visit on April 10 featured charming
Mongolian High-Level Visits to Seoul Mark Closeness of Mongolia–South Korean Relations
Two high-level visits of Mongolian officials to Seoul in the past six weeks indicate that Mongolian–South Korean relations are rapidly intensifying. This trend and Mongolia’s mid-March facilitation of the reunion
Falling Coal Prices Help China’s ‘New Silk Road’ Win Over Mongolia
Mongolia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs L. Bold made an official visit January 16–21, 2014 to the PRC at invitation of his counterpart Wang Yi. The most interesting result from the
The Mongolian-Russian-Chinese Northern Railway Corridor
On December 18, 2013, in Ulaanbaatar, the Mongolian government’s Ministry of Road and Transportation and the Mongolian-Russian shareholding “Ulaanbaatar Railway” Society organized the first tripartite consultative meeting of “The Mongolian-Russian-Chinese
Efforts to Strengthen Sino-Mongolian Relations in Fall 2013
Sino-Mongolian relations improved during the fall, with a pair of official visits demonstrating progress on both economic and military ties. The first was Mongolian Prime Minister Norov Altankhuyag’s trip to
Mongolian President’s Trip to Pyongyang: Significant Agreements, but No Meeting with Kim Jong Un
Mongolian President Tsakhia Elbegdorj, arrived in Pyongyang on October 28 for a four-day state visit, ostensibly to celebrate the 65th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations and the 25th anniversary of
Prime Minister Altankhuyag’s Visit to Tokyo: Fleshing out the Mongolian-Japanese Strategic Partnership
Mongolian Prime Minister Norov Altankhuyag’s September 11–14, 2013 trip to Japan, his first overseas visit since becoming head of government in 2012, underscored the new vibrancy in Mongolian-Japanese relations. This
Mongolian-Belarusian Relations Reach New Levels of Cooperation After Myasnikovich’s Visit
The prime minister of the Republic of Belarus, Mikhail Myasnikovich, led a large delegation September 3–5, on the first state visit to Mongolia since the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations
Sino-Mongolian Coal Relationship Continues Downward Spiral in 2013
The Mongolian Minister of Mining, Davaajav Gankhuyag, meeting with journalists in an August 9 press conference, confirmed the continuing decline in coal exports to China, Mongolia’s most important trade partner:
Asian Neighbors React to Mongolian Presidential Election
Mongolia is in the midst of its traditional summer holiday slumber following its national naadam celebration from July 9–11. But the fact that Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj of the Democratic Party won
New Sino-Mongolian Oil Deal Undercuts Russia’s Old Role
Mongolian Petroleum Authority Chairman G. Ulziiburen announced in mid-March that Mongolia had made an agreement with PetroChina—a subsidiary of China National Offshore Oil Corporation—to exchange crude oil drilled in Mongolia
Japanese Prime Minister Abe Declares Mongolia’s Increasing Importance for Tokyo’s Foreign Policy
The recent March 30–31 trip to Mongolia of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who has yet to meet with Chinese leaders since assuming office in December 2012, was timed to
New Mongolian Minister of Defense Visits Moscow to Reaffirm Ties
Mongolian Minister of Defense Dashdemberel Bat-Erdene led a Mongolian military delegation to Moscow on February 17–21 for discussions that included preparations for their annual joint exercises. Included on the agenda
The Bumpy Path to Sino-Mongolian Cooperation in the Mining Sector
The kabuki-style dance of trade partners Mongolia and China began again in earnest when on January 15 the third meeting of the Mongolia-China Cooperation Commission on Mineral Resources and Energy
Australia Finds a Way to Raise Its Economic and Political Profile in Mongolia
While Western financial blogs in 2012 decried the rise of Mongolian resource nationalism as well as continuing corruption in Mongolia’s mining sector, Australia, cautiously yet successfully, has maneuvered through the
Mongolia Nurtures Relations with North Korea As It Hopes for Official Future Role in Six-Party Talks
Mongolia grabbed the headlines on November 15–16 by the announcement that Japan and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) were engaging in direct senior-level talks in the Mongolian capital
Mongolia and Russia Re-Invigorate Mutual Ties
Since the Mongolian parliamentary elections of June 28, 2012, won by the pro-Western Democratic Party, there has been a re-emphasis on strengthening Mongolian-Russian political and military relations as part of
Mongolia’s Coal Development Policies Tied to Goal of Reducing Proportion of Chinese Investment
On August 22–25, 2012, Dai Bingguo, Chinese State Councilor and top national security advisor to President Hu Jintao, went to Ulaanbaatar to meet newly installed Mongolian government and parliamentary leaders.
The Dalai Lama Card Reappears in Sino-Mongolian Relations
The mid-November 2011 surprise four-day visit to Mongolia of the 14th Dalai Lama reignited simmering Chinese worries about how the Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader is using and is being used
Mongolian-Iranian Relations Colored by Meat and Uranium
Iran has been steadily increasing its ties with Mongolia and 2010 was a year of increased Iranian overtures toward Ulaanbaatar. In another manifestation of how democratic Mongolia and Iran are
SINO-MONGOLIAN RELATIONS FROM BEIJING’S VIEWPOINT
China has traditionally viewed its relations with the Mongols to its north with much seriousness. Chinese policymakers in the 21st century are fully aware of the historical record of devastating