Dorj Shurkhuu

(Director, Institute of International Studies, Mongolian Academy of Sciences)

Author

Dr. Dorj Shurkhuu is Director of the Institute of International Studies, Mongolian Academy of Sciences (MAS). He is also Deputy Head of Mongolian Political Studies Association. His research field mainly includes history and current situation of Sino-Mongolian relations, Chinese politics, Mongolia-Russian relations, geopolitics of energy and mining. He got his PhD degree in history from the Mongolian Academy of Sciences in 1999. He was a visiting scholar from Sep. 2001 to Jan. 2002 in China’s Renmin University.

Abstract

Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the initiative of building the Silk Road Economic Belt in September 2013, drawing wide attention from the international community and especially China’s neighboring countries. Since ancient times, especially during the 13th-14th century when it established regimes in the wide Eurasian area, Mongolia has been playing an active role in encouraging trade, maintaining the ancient Silk Road and formulating related rules and regulations. At the present age of globalization, Mongolia is delighted to see China’s initiative in co-building the Silk Road Economic Belt. During the meeting with his counterpart Xi Jinping on May 19, Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj said China’s principles in neighbor diplomacy – “amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness” – have offered important guidance and opportunity for enhancing Mongolia-China ties as well as regional cooperation. Mongolia takes the cooperation in infrastructure construction as the basis for the construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt. Mongolia is currently carrying out major highway and railway projects across the country. It does not see itself as a merely isolated trade partner with China or Russia, but hopes to conduct cooperation with countries in both Europe and Asia. In other words, Mongolia looks to become an inland bridge that connects Eurasia, Central Asia and eastern Asia, which is in exact accordance with China’s initiative of building the Silk Road Economic Belt and the neighboring countries’ development goals. Building the Silk Road Economic Belt requires the mutual trust among the involved nations, as well as a large sum of money and a long period of time.

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