The upcoming China-Mongolia Expo will make a great contribution to the expansion of trade and economic ties between the two neighbors, Mongolian Minister of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry Khayangaa Bolorchuluun has said.

The expo is scheduled to take place in Hohhot, capital city of north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, on Sept. 6-10.

"Our two countries agreed to hold this expo every two years. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it has not been held since 2019," Bolorchuluun said, noting that compared with the previous three expos, this 4th one will be held on a much larger scale.

"Preparations for the expo are generally complete. We expect that by holding the 4th China-Mongolia Expo, the volume of bilateral trade between the two countries will increase significantly," said Bolorchuluun, who leads the working group of the Mongolian side to prepare for the expo.

"China, which is our country's southern neighbor, is developing rapidly," he said, stressing that Mongolia has to keep up with the speed of China's development and cooperate with China.

"We have a lot to learn from China. Holding such an expo will allow our companies to learn (from) and exchange experiences with Chinese companies, cooperate with them and further expand trade and economic relations between the two," Bolorchuluun said, adding that during the expo, new know-how, experiences and innovations will be exchanged and agreements will be concluded.

At least 500 companies from Mongolia are expected to participate in the expo. In the previous three expos, most of Mongolian exhibitors were light industry companies, but this time more food manufactures will participate, the minister said.

"Mongolia aims to export organic food products such as meat, camel milk drinks and sea buckthorn to China. Therefore, many food manufactures are going to participate in this expo," he said.

China has been Mongolia's largest trading partner since 1999.

Mongolia and China achieved their bilateral trade target of 10 billion U.S. dollars in 2021, and are now actively cooperating in all fields to further increase the volume to 20 billion dollars, said the minister.

"So, in order to achieve the goal, I believe that it is very important to organize (more) joint events like this expo," he said.

Mongolia's foreign trade turnover expanded 27.9 percent year-on-year to 11.8 billion dollars in the first half of this year, according to the country's National Statistics Office.

China remained Mongolia's top export destination and import supplier in the January-July period, accounting for 73 percent of the latter's total foreign trade, data from the statistical agency showed.

The Minister of Road and Transport Development S. Byambatsogt met with the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Mongolia A.N. Yevsikov on September 1, 2023, and agreed to jointly implement the major development project of the railway sector in the near future.

The Minister S. Byambatsogt spoke that Ereentsav-Choibalsan-Khuot-Bichigt railroad would become the central railway corridor connecting Mongolia, China and Russia. “At present, our country has only one railway crossing to China, i.e. Zamyn-Uud. By the commissioning of this railway, the number of cargos passing through Mongolia would increase, and the transportation volume of the three countries would grow hugely, which is of particular social and economic significance. Mongolia has signed an agreement with the concessionaire and is working to start the construction work in the near future. To this end, along the construction of the Choibalsan-Khuot-Bichigt railway, it is necessary to renovate the Ereentsav-Choibalsan railway. We have asked from Russia to cooperate in the start of the major overhaul in the near future”.

Also, the Bogdkhan Railway Project passing through Ulaanbaatar is critical for upgrading the capacity of the railway, creating work places in settlement areas, and reducing congestion. Since the Feasibility Study of the Project to implement in cooperation with the Russian Federation has been developed, it is required to urgently start the major overhaul, commence construction works, accelerate Zuunbayan-Sainshand railway capacity and train exchange, and establish technical compliance. Therefore, the Minister discussed with the Ambassador about intensive solution and implementation of these issues, and asked to convey them to the shareholders of the Russian side of the Mongolian-Russian Joint Venture Company "Ulaanbaatar Railway".

The Ambassador A.N. Yevsikov said that he would pay exceptional attention to immediate commencement of the major overhaul and modernization of the railway, expansion of the transport corridor of the three countries, and increase of cargo transportation. In addition, he expressed his desire to come to a consensus on how to make the Railway double-track, how to settle budgets and financing, and how to develop the Mongolian-Russian Joint Venture Company "Ulaanbaatar Railway", a symbol of friendship of the two countries, in the next 70 years.

The Financial Regulatory Commission approved the Capital City of Ulaanbaatar to publicly offer bonds worth of up to MNT 500 billion in compliance with the Law on the Legal Status of the Capital City of Ulaanbaatar, the Law on Debt Management, the Budget Law, and other legislation and regulations by the Resolution No.427 of September 1, 2023.

Yesterday the Head of the Financial Regulatory Commission D. Byambasuren handed over the consent resolution to the First Deputy Governor of Ulaanbaatar in charge of economic and infrastructure issues J. Sandagsuren.

The collected funds will be used for the investment projects and measures specified in the city budget approved by the resolution of the Capital City Citizens Representatives Meeting, and quarterly reports will be submitted to the Financial Regulatory Commission.

The First Deputy Governor of the Capital City J. Sandagsuren said, "The capital city bond is unique as the first local bond in Mongolia. In order to finance specific development programs, the Capital City of Ulaanbaatar has become ready to issue bonds and offer them to the market within the scope of the Law on the Legal Status of the City of Ulaanbaatar. We will report on our project, program and funding in conformity with relevant regulations and laws in due time."

Thus, public trading of bonds with maturities of up to five years with the aim of raising funds to solve the economic and social problems of Ulaanbaatar City has begun. Funds collected through bond issuance are planned to finance major strategic projects and measures such as decentralization of the capital, reducing congestion, expanding the network of highways and road facilities, and improving access to schools and kindergartens.

GAPE Academy, a designated place for ACCA students, with the support of MBD (Mongolian Business Database), has opened up an opportunity for students majoring in accounting and information technology in Australia.

After 1-year of successful studies and completion of the ACCA Diploma in Accounting and Business at GAPE Academy in Mongolia, students will be able to continue their second year of studies for a Bachelor of Business in Accounting at Sydney Institute of Higher Education in Sydney, Australia.

In brief, a student will get a Bachelor of Business Administration degree and complete ACCA level II after studying for year 1 in Mongolia and years 2 and 3 in Australia.

Students who are interested in studying Bachelor in Information Technology (IT) program can study in Mongolia for 1 year and pursue their Bachelor of Information Technology course in Sydney.

After a 1-year successful completion of professional subjects, General English and Academic English subjects, students will be well equipped to continue their studies in Sydney, Australia.

Please contact Ms. Jargalmaa for more details.

Head of Professional Studies

Office number: 11-337788

Contact detail: 9991-0919

Email address: infogape88@gmail.com /for information/, gape.mongolia@gmail.com /for student support/

Address: City Tower building, 5th floor, #501, Sukhbaatar district, Khoroo #8, 14200, Square of Sukhbaatar.

Website: www.gape.education

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Pope Francis returned to Rome on Monday after the first papal voyage to Mongolia, expressing admiration for its people and those of neighbour China while acknowledging such trips were becoming more difficult to make.

The 86-year-old ventured to the vast, isolated Central Asian nation as a gesture of support to its tiny Catholic community, but the trip was overshadowed by apparent overtures to Beijing, with whom the Vatican for years has struggled to make inroads.

“Relations with China are very respectful, very. I have a great admiration for the Chinese people,” the pope told reporters on his flight home.

He added: “I think we need to go further on the religious side to understand each other better.

“So Chinese citizens don’t think that the Church doesn’t accept their own culture, their own values and that the Church represents another foreign power.”

Francis had made a similar point earlier, telling a group of missionaries on Saturday in Mongolia’s capital Ulaanbaatar that governments had “nothing to fear” from the Catholic Church, in a statement widely seen as a reassurance to China.

He also directly addressed the Chinese people – some of whom were in the congregation of a Sunday mass, on pilgrimages unauthorised by Beijing – telling them to be “good Christians and good citizens”.

Francis, in the 11th year of his papacy, is anxious to make inroads for the Catholic Church in China, where a contentious 2018 deal renewed last year gave both Beijing and the Vatican a voice in choosing cardinals.

But an invitation to visit from Beijing is yet to arrive, and Francis on Monday suggested, as he ended the 43rd voyage of his papacy, that future trips could be limited.

“I’ll tell you the truth, for me taking a trip now, it’s not as easy as in the beginning, there are limitations, in walking,” he said, when asked what official visits he envisioned.

The pope underwent a hernia operation in June and knee pain forces him to rely on a wheelchair or cane. While in Mongolia, he walked unsteadily and often looked tired.

Mongolia, a young democracy since 1992 with freedom of religion enshrined in its constitution and a history of coexistence between religions, offered Francis an apt platform for an appeal for interfaith dialogue.

His gesture of support for its 1,400 Catholics also fulfilled his desire to reach out to often ignored areas far from Rome.

The Buddhist-majority former Soviet satellite state, sandwiched between China and Russia, counts just 25 Catholic priests – only two of them Mongolian.

“Dear brothers and sisters of Mongolia, thank you for the gift of friendship that I received in these days. Bayarlalaa! [‘Thank you’ in Mongolian] May God bless you,” the pope’s X account, formerly Twitter, said soon after his departure.

Earlier on Monday, during the pope’s visit to a homeless shelter and clinic on the outskirts of the capital, a group of women from mainland China sang in Mandarin, wiping away tears as the pope’s black car passed by.

“Dear Pope, our best wishes for you,” they sang.

Many Chinese Catholics who came to see the pope told authorities at home they were travelling to Mongolia for tourism, according to interviews with Agence France-Presse.

China’s government, which is officially atheist, is wary of the Catholic Church on its territory, and exercises strict control over all recognised religious institutions.

Mongolia has sought to toe a neutral line with its neighbours Russia and China, on whom it depends for imports of energy and the export of its coal, even as it reaches out to third countries, including the United States and South Korea, for balance.

Francis called himself a “pilgrim of friendship” during his trip to Ulaanbaatar, extolling Mongolia’s virtues while warning of the dangers of corruption and environmental degradation.

Mongolia has been marred by corruption and environmental degradation in recent years, with its capital suffering from some of the world’s worst air quality and an embezzlement scandal sparking street protests last year.

Vast swathes of the country are also at risk of desertification due to climate change, overgrazing and mining.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Mongolia has inaugurated a 10-megawatt solar photovoltaic power plant in Govi-Altai province.

The new plant, Serven, will provide about 20 million kilowatt-hour energy annually and is estimated to cut 15,000 tons of carbon dioxide greenhouse gas emission per year during its lifetime. The power plant is financed by ADB’s Upscaling Renewable Energy Sector Project which supports 41-megawatts of distributed renewable energy systems through subprojects that will supply clean electricity and heat in the less-developed region of western Mongolia.

“About 10% of our country's territory is suitable for wind energy use. Covering more than 70% of the total territory, the steppe and Gobi Desert has a long duration of sunshine and vast reserves of clean energy, so it can be used to meet the energy consumption of the region. Serven solar power plant proves this,” said Mongolia Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai. “By using this advantage, Mongolia has the full potential to get out of energy dependence and expand its economy.”

“The new solar power plant will contribute to Mongolia’s transition to cleaner energy by advancing the country’s efforts to expand renewables,” said ADB Country Director for Mongolia Shannon Cowlin. “In addition to providing secure power supply to rural areas in the western region, the solar power plant will improve public health and resource usage by reducing air pollution and water usage.”

The project was approved in September 2018 with loan financing from ADB and grant cofinancing from the Strategic Climate Fund and the Japan Fund for the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JFJCM). The JFJCM is an ADB trust fund that aims to provide financial incentives for the adoption of advanced low-carbon technologies in ADB-financed and administered sovereign and nonsovereign projects.

ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members—49 from the region.

Mongolia is ready to expand development cooperation with China under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the Global Development Initiative (GDI), Mongolian Prime Minister L.Oyun-Erdene said on Friday.

L.Oyun-Erdene made the remarks while meeting with visiting Luo Zhaohui, head of the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), in Mongolia’s capital Ulaanbaatar.

Expressing his gratitude to the Chinese government for its long-term assistance and support to Mongolia’s economic development and people’s livelihood, Oyun-Erdene said that Mongolia is ready to further cooperation with China under the framework of the BRI and the GDI in trade, port construction, desertification prevention and control, cultural and sports exchanges, pollution control, improvement of people’s livelihood, talent training and other fields, and jointly act on the important consensus reached by the two countries’ heads of state.

For his part, Luo said that the Chinese delegation’s visit to Mongolia aims to lift the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries to a higher level, deepen mutual development cooperation, and promote a number of important cooperation projects, especially Mongolia’s national tree-planting campaign dubbed “Billion Trees,” so as to better benefit the two peoples.

On the same day, the CIDCA, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration of China and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China held talks with relevant departments of Mongolia. The two sides signed relevant cooperation agreements and held an unveiling ceremony for the China-Mongolia Desertification Prevention and Control Cooperation Center.

ULAANBAATAR, Sept 4 (Reuters) - Pope Francis on Monday wrapped up a historic trip to Mongolia whose main purpose was to visit the miniscule Catholic community but which took on international connotations because of his overtures to its neighbour China over freedom of religion.

Francis ended his five-day visit with a stop to inaugurate the House of Mercy, a multi-purpose structure to provide temporary health care to the most needy in the Mongolian capital as well as to the homeless, victims of domestic abuse and migrants.

Situated in a converted school and the brainchild of Mongolia's top Catholic cleric, Italian Cardinal Giorgio Marengo, the House of Mercy is destined to serve as a sort of central charity coordinating the work of Catholic missionary institutions and local volunteers.

"The true progress of a nation is not gauged by economic wealth, much less by investment in the illusory power of armaments, but by its ability to provide for the health, education and integral development of its people," Francis said at the house.

He said he wanted to dispel "the myth" that the aim of Catholic institutions was to convert people to the religion "as if caring for others were a way of enticing people to 'join up'".

Mostly Buddhist Mongolia has only 1,450 Catholics in a population of 3.3 million and in an unprecedented event on Sunday, just about the entire Catholic population of the country was under the same roof with the pope.

On Monday, around two dozen Chinese Catholics surrounded the pope's motorcade, attempting to receive his blessings.

The devotees, who identified themselves as Catholics from mainland China and wearing uniforms brandishing the phrase "Love Jesus", crowded outside the House of Mercy charity centre.

As Francis’s motorcade departed the centre, they sang a Christian hymn dedicated to the pope in Mandarin, and attempted to dodge security and reach his car. One woman managed to get through security and received a blessing.

"I am just too happy, I can’t even control my emotions now," said the woman, who would not give her name due to the sensitivity of the issue.

Mongolia was part of China until 1921 and the pope's trip was dotted by allusions or appeals to the superpower next door, where the Vatican has scratchy relations with its ruling Communist Party.

At the end of Sunday's Mass he sent greetings to China, calling its citizens a "noble" people and asking Catholics in China to be "good Christians and good citizens."

On Saturday, in words that appeared to be aimed at China rather than Mongolia, Francis said governments have nothing to fear from the Catholic Church because it has no political agenda.

Beijing has been following a policy of "Sinicisation" of religion, trying to root out foreign influences and enforce obedience to the Communist Party.

China's constitution guarantees religious freedom, but in recent years the government has tightened restrictions on religions seen as a challenge to the party's authority.

In December, the United States designated China, Iran and Russia, among others, as countries of particular concern under the Religious Freedom Act over severe violations.

A landmark 2018 agreement between the Vatican and China on the appointment of bishops has been tenuous at best, with the Vatican complaining that Beijing has violated it several times.

The phrase used by the pope on Sunday - "good Christians and good citizens" - is one the Vatican uses frequently in trying to convince communist governments that giving Catholics more freedom would only help their countries' social and economic progression.

Reporting by Philip Pullella and Joseph Campbell; Editing by Michael Perry