Shen Minjuan
Ambassador of the PRC to Mongolia
2024 marks several significant milestones: the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Mongolia, the 20th anniversary of Mongolia’s accreditation as an observer state of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the tripartite meeting of heads of state of China, Mongolia, and Russia. It is delighted to see that this historically meaningful year witnessed further progress in China-Mongolia relations and new advances in the cooperation among China, Mongolia, and Russia.
Last July, during the meeting between the Foreign Ministers of the three countries at the 24th SCO Summit, the FMs agreed to uphold the original aspiration of collaboration, maintain a clear direction, and strengthen coordination to elevate trilateral cooperation to a new high. This was followed by the first meeting between the Premier and Prime Ministers of the three countries during the 23rd Meeting of SCO Council of Heads of Government, where they reached key consensus to align the Eurasian Economic Union, the Steppe Road Plan, and the Belt and Road Cooperation and to build the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor. Mongolian Prime Minister L.Oyun-Erdene spoke highly of the SCO’s contributions to a peaceful and stable region, deeper economic and political cooperation, and closer cultural exchanges and looked forward to Mongolia’s further participation in the SCO particularly to leverage the SCO framework to deepen trilateral cooperation. In November, Prime Minister L.Oyun-Erdene led a delegation to attend the seventh China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai, where he saw the immense opportunities of China’s extraordinarily huge market, gained fresh perspectives on China’s modernization achievements and best practices of the new development philosophy, and experienced the dynamism and vitality of the “Shanghai Spirit”.
As the first international organization co-founded by China and named after a Chinese city, the SCO seeks mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diversity, and pursuit of shared growth. Such “Shanghai Spirit” is the source of vitality of the organization. Over its 24-year journey, the SCO has exemplified peaceful development path with fruitful results, setting a model for the new type of international relations and becoming the world’s largest regional international organization by area and population.
Since China took on the new rotating presidency of the SCO for 2024-2025, China has focused on the original aspiration and mission of the organization and the SCO Year of Sustainable Development. China will work with all sides to make the SCO a constructive force for regional and global peace and stability, prosperity, and development. China and Mongolia are neighbors connected by mountains and rivers and share the same future. With the geographical proximity and economic complementarity, the two countries are focusing on mutually beneficial cooperation to advance modernization and bring more welfare to the two peoples. Mongolia is promoting its transformation in artificial intelligence, green growth, and human resources while China is pushing forward the strategy for invigorating China through science, education, the strategy on developing a quality workforce, and innovation-driven development strategy. The development strategies and philosophies are the same, and align with the key cooperation sectors set by SCO Year of Sustainable Development. From the eight major steps for high-quality Belt and Road cooperation to the SCO Digital Education Association and the upcoming Green Development Forum of SCO Countries, there is vast room for cooperation between China and Mongolia within the SCO framework.
Youth affairs have been a priority for the SCO. This year China will hold the SCO Youth Development Forum and Youth Camp, providing exchange programs to visit China for 1,000 young people from SCO countries over the next five years to encourage cultural exchanges and mutual learning among SCO countries. This year Mongolia will celebrate its “Year of Youth”. The 100-people youth exchange between China and Mongolia and Mongolia’s active participation in the youth affairs under the SCO framework will help Mongolia unleash the potential of its younger generations to build momentum for sustainable development.
The journey has just begun, with boundless prospects ahead. Based on the SCO platform, China and Mongolia enjoy great potential to deepen cooperation in key areas, enhance mutual benefits, and bring better livelihood and welfare for the two peoples for a better future of the bilateral ties, the SCO’s common home of solidarity and mutual trust, peace and tranquility, prosperity and development, good-neighborliness and friendship, fairness and justice, and a closer SCO community with a shared future.
