1 PRIME MINISTER OYUN-ERDENE VISITS EGIIN GOL HYDROPOWER PLANT PROJECT SITE WWW.MONTSAME.MN PUBLISHED:2025/04/30      2 ‘I FELT CAUGHT BETWEEN CULTURES’: MONGOLIAN MUSICIAN ENJI ON HER BEGUILING, BORDER-CROSSING MUSIC WWW.THEGUARDIAN.COM PUBLISHED:2025/04/30      3 POWER OF SIBERIA 2: ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY OR GEOPOLITICAL RISK FOR MONGOLIA? WWW.THEDIPLOMAT.COM PUBLISHED:2025/04/29      4 UNITED AIRLINES TO LAUNCH FLIGHTS TO MONGOLIA IN MAY WWW.MONTSAME.MN PUBLISHED:2025/04/29      5 SIGNATURE OF OIL SALES AGREEMENT FOR BLOCK XX PRODUCTION WWW.RESEARCH-TREE.COM  PUBLISHED:2025/04/29      6 MONGOLIA ISSUES E-VISAS TO 11,575 FOREIGNERS IN Q1 WWW.XINHUANET.COM PUBLISHED:2025/04/29      7 KOREA AN IDEAL PARTNER TO HELP MONGOLIA GROW, SEOUL'S ENVOY SAYS WWW.KOREAJOONGANGDAILY.JOINS.COM  PUBLISHED:2025/04/29      8 MONGOLIA TO HOST THE 30TH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF ASIA SECURITIES FORUM WWW.MONTSAME.MN PUBLISHED:2025/04/29      9 BAGAKHANGAI-KHUSHIG VALLEY RAILWAY PROJECT LAUNCHES WWW.UBPOST.MN PUBLISHED:2025/04/29      10 THE MONGOLIAN BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT AND FDI: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITY WWW.MELVILLEDALAI.COM  PUBLISHED:2025/04/28      849 ТЭРБУМЫН ӨРТӨГТЭЙ "ГАШУУНСУХАЙТ-ГАНЦМОД" БООМТЫН ТЭЗҮ-Д ТУРШЛАГАГҮЙ, МОНГОЛ 2 КОМПАНИ ҮНИЙН САНАЛ ИРҮҮЛЭВ WWW.EGUUR.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2025/04/30     ХУУЛЬ БУСААР АШИГЛАЖ БАЙСАН "БОГД УУЛ" СУВИЛЛЫГ НИЙСЛЭЛ ӨМЧЛӨЛДӨӨ БУЦААВ WWW.NEWS.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2025/04/30     МЕТРО БАРИХ ТӨСЛИЙГ ГҮЙЦЭТГЭХЭЭР САНАЛАА ӨГСӨН МОНГОЛЫН ГУРВАН КОМПАНИ WWW.EAGLE.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2025/04/30     "UPC RENEWABLES" КОМПАНИТАЙ ХАМТРАН 2400 МВТ-ЫН ХҮЧИН ЧАДАЛТАЙ САЛХИН ЦАХИЛГААН СТАНЦ БАРИХААР БОЛОВ WWW.EAGLE.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2025/04/30     ОРОСЫН МОНГОЛ УЛС ДАХЬ ТОМООХОН ТӨСЛҮҮД ДЭЭР “ГАР БАРИХ” СОНИРХОЛ БА АМБИЦ WWW.EGUUR.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2025/04/30     МОНГОЛ, АНУ-ЫН ХООРОНД ТАВДУГААР САРЫН 1-НЭЭС НИСЛЭГ ҮЙЛДЭНЭ WWW.MONTSAME.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2025/04/29     ЕРӨНХИЙ САЙД Л.ОЮУН-ЭРДЭНЭ ЭГИЙН ГОЛЫН УЦС-ЫН ТӨСЛИЙН ТАЛБАЙД АЖИЛЛАЖ БАЙНА WWW.MONTSAME.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2025/04/29     Ц.ТОД-ЭРДЭНЭ: БИЧИГТ БООМТЫН ЕРӨНХИЙ ТӨЛӨВЛӨГӨӨ БАТЛАГДВАЛ БУСАД БҮТЭЭН БАЙГУУЛАЛТЫН АЖЛУУД ЭХЛЭХ БОЛОМЖ БҮРДЭНЭ WWW.MONTSAME.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2025/04/29     MCS-ИЙН ХОЁР ДАХЬ “УХАА ХУДАГ”: БНХАУ, АВСТРАЛИТАЙ ХАМТРАН ЭЗЭМШДЭГ БАРУУН НАРАНГИЙН ХАЙГУУЛЫГ УЛСЫН ТӨСВӨӨР ХИЙЖЭЭ WWW.EGUUR.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2025/04/29     АМ.ДОЛЛАРЫН ХАНШ ТОГТВОРЖИЖ 3595 ТӨГРӨГ БАЙНА WWW.EGUUR.MN НИЙТЭЛСЭН:2025/04/29    

Events

Name organizer Where
MBCC “Doing Business with Mongolia seminar and Christmas Receptiom” Dec 10. 2024 London UK MBCCI London UK Goodman LLC

NEWS

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Working group to negotiate deal with Oyu Tolgoi's investor meets www.montsame.mn

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/. A working group responsible for conducting negotiations with Oyu Tolgoi project’s investor side to agree on project issues and submitting the finalization on concerning matters to the cabinet meeting convened yesterday, February 23, at the State House.
The meeting heard the position of Prime Minister L.Oyun-Erdene on issues to take under further consideration. The working group plans to present the matter to the cabinet meeting by mid-March, according to the Press Office of the Cabinet Secretariat.
The group in charge of implementing the parliamentary resolution No.92 dated November 21, 2019 titled ‘ensuring the interests of Mongolia in the exploitation of the Oyu Tolgoi gold-copper mine’ and having talks with Oyu Tolgoi’s investors and agree on related matters and present the final version to the government is headed by Minister of Justice Kh.Nyambaatar and is made up of the Chief of Staff of the Office of the President of Mongolia, member of the Parliament, corresponding government ministries and officers.
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PM L.Oyun-Erdene: Giving out loans with 3 percent interest will greatly support business owners www.montsame.mn

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/. Yesterday on February 23, Prime Minister L.Oyun-Erdene became acquainted with the operations of entities that have resumed normal operations after getting the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine - ‘AstraZeneca’.
With the end of the public emergency readiness period, 95 percent of all entities have been allowed to operate, adhering to the infection control regime. Thus as starters, the PM became acquainted with operations at the State Department Store.
During the lockdown period, only the supermarket section of the department store continued to operate per the duty to consistently supply food products. As an average of 25 thousand people make their purchases at the supermarket per day, all necessary tools and equipment including digital thermometers and disinfection cabins have been installed at the store entrance. Furthermore, staff members have been appointed to monitor the flow of customers, ensuring their adherence to infection control measures.
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Copper price soars past $9,000 in record run www.mining.com

Copper kept its momentous run going on Monday, now closing in on an all-time high set in 2011, as investors bet that supply tightness will increase as the world recovers from the covid-19 pandemic.

March contracts rose 1.0% to $4.1155 per pound ($9,073.13 per tonne) by 11:45 a.m. in New York, leading a broad rally in commodities that saw the bellwether industrial metal rise 17% year-to-date.

Since its nadir last March, copper prices have nearly doubled, boosted by rapidly tightening physical markets, prospects for rebounding economic growth and the expectation that a years-long era of low inflation in key economies may be ending.

Click here for an interactive chart of copper prices.

Investors are also piling into copper on a bet that demand will surge in the coming years, as governments worldwide unleash unprecedented stimulus programs targeting renewable energy and electric vehicles, which will require huge volumes of the metal.

“The list of bullish factors for copper is extremely long,” Max Layton, head of EMEA commodities research at Citigroup Inc., told Bloomberg by phone, adding that:

“A lot of the most bullish developments are really going to play out in the next few months, and therefore we think it’s going to be sooner rather than later that it gets to $10,000.”

In some areas of the physical copper market, supply conditions are at the tightest in years and may come under even more pressure as smelters in top consumer China face shrinking profit margins for processing raw ore into refined metal.

Copper treatment charges, an indicator of refining margins, are at $45.50 a tonne, the lowest since 2012. One leading supplier is considering cutting output, in a potential blow to buyers, Bloomberg reported.

Surging prices have given miners a boost, driving up stock prices and raising the prospect of more returns to shareholders. Some of the top copper stocks have risen by double digits over the past month.

Jiangxi Copper, China’s top producer, gained as much as 20% in Hong Kong to the highest level since 2012, while US producer Freeport-McMoRan closed last week the highest since 2014.

(With files from Bloomberg)

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Banned for decades, ancient Mongolian sport of knucklebone making a comeback www.cbc.ca

Winter is a difficult time for many, particularly during a pandemic. Cool with Cold is a CBC Ottawa series highlighting people who've found creative ways to embrace the season, safely.
Bundled up against the winter chill on a backyard rink, Zolzaya Sanjmyatav demonstrates the proper technique for throwing a zakh down the ice, just like her Mongolian ancestors did for centuries — only in this case, the zakh is a plastic hockey puck, an alteration she calls a "Canadian adjustment."
Sanjmyatav grew up in Mongolia's coldest city, Tosontsengel, in the northwest province of Zavkhan, where she played many of the same winter sports as Canadians.
"In Mongolia we do skating, skiing and sledding like in Canada. But one of the very unique sports that we play during the winter is knucklebone," said Sanjmyatav.
Sanjmyatav went online to study the rules so she could teach her children Sodbileg,13, Sainbileg, 10 and Uranbileg, 8, how to play.
Now, as a diplomat in charge of culture, sport and political affairs at the Embassy of Mongolia in Ottawa, she said she's excited to share the finer points of knucklebone with Canadians.
Rules of the game
Similar to curling, "knucklebone ice shooting" takes place on a sheet of ice, as its full name suggests. Players take turns sliding the zakh, traditionally made of metal or carved deer antler, toward targets set out 100 metres away, though the distance can be shortened depending on the length of the ice surface at hand.
Sanjmyatav uses real cow and sheep knucklebones painted bright red for extra visibility. Players score points for each sheep knucklebone they hit, and three points for the larger cow knucklebone in the centre.
The scoring system reflects the country's religious history. For every point earned, players draw one line of a temple on a sheet of paper. The first team to complete a temple wins.
"It's very much connected to our Buddhist religion," explained Sanjmyatav.
Sanjmyatav said after the Soviet Union established the Mongolian People's Republic, the game of knucklebone was outlawed.
"From 1924 to the 1990s, the socialist regime banned many cultural and religious activities," she said.
After the fall of the Soviet-backed government in 1990, there was a resurgence of Buddhism. Mongolians began reconnecting with their culture, including traditional games.
"It's like finding a treasure. We didn't know that this sport existed," said Sanjmyatav.
Now, the Mongolian Knucklebone Association is working to establish the game as an official winter sport in Mongolia, organizing annual championships across the country.
To keep score, players draw lines to create an image of a Buddhist temple. The first team to complete a temple wins. (Francis Ferland/CBC)
Played by Genghis Khan
According to Mongolian historians, knucklebone was first documented in the 12th-century literary text The Secret History of the Mongols, an epic that chronicles the life of conqueror Genghis Khan. In the book, Khan plays knucklebone with his friend Jamukha on a frozen river.
Originally played to strengthen hunters' eyesight so they could spot animals from far away, the goal of the game changed in the 17th century when Buddhist monks took it up to improve their mental and physical health.
"The [monks] said that the air on the river is the purest, so it's one of the reasons they played," said Sanjmyatav.
Sanjmyatav's husband Togtokhbayar (Togy) Batpurev shows the proper technique for launching the zakh — in this case, a plastic hockey puck. (Francis Ferland/CBC)
Sanjmyatav said the game has taken on a new meaning for families whose usual winter activities have been curtailed by the COVID-19 pandemic, including her own.
"I was amazed at how well-structured and sophisticated this game was, that was invented hundreds of years ago. But it still has so many mental, social and physical benefits for the well-being of kids," she said.
And it's been a fun way to help her family rediscover their roots, too.
"I have this sense of responsibility to teach them their heritage cultures so they know who they are," Sanjmyatav said.
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30 new cases of COVID-19 reported, total reaches 2,723 www.montsame.mn

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ The Ministry of Health provided updates on coronavirus situation in Mongolia. According to the Ministry, 30 people were detected with coronavirus when performing tests on 42,920 people nationwide on February 22.
Thus, confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Mongolia have reached 2,723. 70 people have recovered and discharged from hospital yesterday, bringing the number of recovered people at 2,003. A total registered cases in Ulaanbaatar city has reached 1,882 and no infection cases have been reported in other aimags.
Currently, 705 people are under treatment and two of them in very critical, six are in critical, 84 are in serious and 598 are in mild health condition.
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Mongolia successfully launches COVID-19 vaccination programme www.montsame.mn

Joint Press Release on COVID-19 Vaccination Roll-out in Mongolia by the Government of Mongolia, United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office, WHO and UNICEF
Ulaanbaatar, 23 February 2021 -- Today marks a major milestone for Mongolia with the administration of its first batch of vaccine to prevent the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), beginning with the frontline health care workers at high risk. The government of Mongolia has received an initial 150000 doses of AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine, produced by the Serum Institute of India, that has received Emergency Use Listing by the World Health Organization (WHO) and approval by Mongolia’s national regulatory authority. Following the arrival of further doses, other priority groups, including older people and those with health issues, which put them at higher risk for severe illness, will be vaccinated against the coronavirus.
The government of Mongolia has implemented a number of preventive measures to contain the local epicentres of COVID-19 and the spread of the virus. Following the first imported case reported in March 2020, the country has successfully contained the virus’ spread with no local transmissions until November 2020. When the pandemic spread amongst local communities, the Government has continued its efforts to minimize the pandemic’s impact.
The arrival of the first doses of vaccines brings hope, but other prevention measures must continue. Step-by-step vaccination of 60 per cent of the population will allow citizens, businesses and organizations to return to a normal lifestyle and to this extent, revitalize the economy and thereby provide jobs and increase income.
This time, by imposing the State of All-Out-Readiness in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolians were able to contain the outbreak, limit the spread of the disease, prepare for vaccination roll-out and build the basis for the implementation of the 10 trillion Comprehensive national plan to protect the public health and recover the economy.
Prime Minister L. Oyun-Erdene said:
“The State of All-Out-Readiness ends today and the curfew in the capital has been lifted. Citizens, businesses and organizations have returned to normal work and life. Twelve days, another example of how our nation can face adversity together, are behind us. I would like to express my gratitude to the residents and citizens of the Capital City, who respected and tolerated the Government's decision during the quarantine.
Within the framework of "One door - One test", 33 local epicentres of coronavirus and 122 cases were identified. In other words, the risk of onward transmission through these 122 people was eliminated and a comprehensive information base for each household was created.
I would like to emphasize that “One Door - One Test” is a baseline study for further developing a strategy of where we should go tomorrow, based on where we are now. My appreciation goes to all Government workers and employees, who have fulfilled their duties.”
Further, Prime Minister has noted that time to calm down is yet to come and urged everyone to adhere to the infection control regime. He also expressed his gratitude to the Government of India, World Health Organization, UN Resident Coordinator Office and UNICEF for their support in obtaining vaccines that meet international standards, as well as the Governments of Russia, China, the European Union, Republic of Korea and Japan.
The United Nations (UN) in Mongolia, with the leadership of WHO and UNICEF, is pleased to partner with the Government of Mongolia, in the successful facilitation of its national programme of vaccination against COVID-19. The UN in Mongolia thanks the people of Mongolia for their continued strong solidarity and cooperation with health authorities in implementing the prevention measures, including hand washing, mask wearing and physical distancing, and complying with other restriction measures to minimize spread of the virus.
“I want to congratulate the people of Mongolia for successfully rolling out the first COVID-19 vaccines. Ahead of us is the great challenge in ensuring “vaccines for all” is a reality. It is the UN’s conviction that fair and equitable access to vaccines, backed by well-planned and resourced supply chains, as well as distribution support, is not only the right thing to do, but the smart thing to do,” Tapan Mishra, UN Resident Coordinator in Mongolia, said.
The global effort to develop and deploy safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines is truly unprecedented. WHO has been engaging with partners at all levels to ensure that countries, including Mongolia, are ready for the rapid deployment of vaccines, since no country is safe until people in all countries are protected. WHO supported the Government of Mongolia to prepare and submit to COVAX a sound National Vaccine Deployment Plan that demonstrates effective preparation and readiness including planning and coordination, training of healthcare workers and other front-line workers at national and sub-national level, prioritization of target populations, country cold chain capacity readiness and vaccine safety monitoring.
Congratulating the Government of Mongolia and the Minister of Health on successfully bringing the first doses of COVID-19 vaccine to the country, WHO Representative to Mongolia Dr Sergey Diorditsa said:
“Vaccines, in combination with other protective measures, are an important new tool in our fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. WHO will continue supporting the country to ensure successful and equitable deployment of COVID-19 vaccines by providing technical support, capacity building with health workers, providing necessary equipment and tools to strengthen safe storage and vaccination capacity, and engaging with health workers, frontline workers and communities to ensure that they are well-informed about COVID-19 vaccines and other important prevention measures.”
Globally, UNICEF is leading the procurement and supply of COVID-19 vaccines for 171 countries including Mongolia on behalf of the COVAX Facility – a partnership between WHO, Gavi the Vaccine Alliance, and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI). At country level, UNICEF is supporting the Government of Mongolia to ensure the country is ready to introduce and deploy the vaccine. UNICEF is helping to upgrade Mongolia’s capacity to safely and securely store vaccines across the country, across the country, addressing misinformation, and building trust in safe and effective vaccines and in the health systems that deliver them.
UNICEF is giving top-priority to support the COVID-19 vaccination program because although only adults will be vaccinated, children will benefit tremendously: stopping the pandemic will allow children to go fully back to kindergarten, to school, to socialize with friends and to play sports as they have seriously fallen behind in their education and social development.
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Finance Minister discusses development cooperation with EU Ambassador www.montsame.mn

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ Minister of Finance B.Javkhlan held a meeting with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the European Union to Mongolia Traian Hristea on February 22.
They discussed development cooperation activities between Mongolia and the EU as well as EU 2021-2027Multi Annual Indicative Program’s priority areas of cooperation.
Stressing that the EU attaches great importance to its relations and cooperation with Mongolia, Ambassador Traian Hristea expressed readiness to provide support and cooperate in the areas of environment, renewable energy, and agriculture, and in strengthening democracy, budget and financial management, and trade and investment climate.
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Mongolian Ambassador to Russia receives Sputnik V jab www.news.mn

The Mongolian ambassador to Moscow and some other embassy staffers have been inoculated against COVID-19 with Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine, the diplomatic mission reported on Friday.
“I am glad to announce that diplomats from our embassy were vaccinated a long time ago, with Sputnik, to be precise. The ambassador was the first to be inoculated”, an embassy spokesperson said.
The vaccination took place at the ambassador’s initiative; most diplomatic staff members have already received the vaccine, the embassy continued.
“One or two people felt slightly weak in the first days [after the jab], while everything was fine with others”, the diplomatic mission added.
Sputnik V, developed by the Gamaleya Epidemiology and Microbiology Centre and registered by the Russian Health Ministry on 11 August, was the world’s first vaccine against the novel coronavirus. The vaccine shows 91.6 percent efficacy and is 100 percent effective against severe complications. The vaccine consists of two components that are administered to a person within a 21-day interval.
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Rio Tinto’s former boss gets huge payout despite caves blast www.mining.com

Rio Tinto’s (ASX, LON, NYSE: RIO) former chief executive Jean-Sébastien Jacques and other two executives forced to leave the company after the destruction of sacred rock shelters in Western Australia closed out 2020 with substantial payouts.
Jacques received £13.3 million ($18.6 million) in pay and long-term incentive rewards last year, compared to £7.1 million ($9.9 million) in 2019, Rio’s annual report, published on Monday, shows.
The French executive and two other senior managers — former iron ore boss Chris Salisbury, and ex-corporate affairs head Simone Niven — had to step down last September. The move was a direct result of shareholder and public outcry over the destruction of the 46,000-year-old Juukan Gorge caves to expand an iron ore mine, despite opposition from traditional landowners.
Jacques’ annual pay increase was driven by a surge in the value of unvested shares awarded in 2016 when he took the company’s helm. The paycheque could have been heftier, but the sacred sites blasting cost Rio’s ex-boss performance bonuses worth an estimated £2.7 million ($3.8 million).
Salisbury received total remuneration of A$6.7 million ($5.3 million) including termination benefits and unvested share awards, from A$2.9 million in 2019. Salisbury lost a A$1.1 million short-term incentive.
Niven lost £525,000 in short-term incentives but received £5.1 million, including £1.1 million in termination benefits and unvested share awards.
Enough sanctions?
The world’s second largest miner noted that, in determining the final payout to all three departing executives, it “fully recognized the gravity of the destruction at Juukan Gorge, but [the board] was mindful that the three executives did not deliberately cause the events to happen, they did not do anything unlawful, nor did they engage in fraudulent or dishonest behaviour or willfully neglect their duties.”
Rio’s move triggered immediate criticism, with the Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility (ACCR), which represents institutional investors, arguing none of the three former executives should have been rewarded.
“The decision to destroy the Juukan Gorge caves was morally repugnant and financially stupid,” James Fitzgerald, strategy lead of ACCR, said in a statement. “It has already cost the company millions, and the true cost won’t be known for years to come.”
Fitzgerald added the payout casts doubt over the company’s various “expressions of sorrow and regret” over the incident.
Rio, which is also the world’s top iron ore miner, added that it had to factor in “the loss of employment for the three individuals, against the considerable achievements of those executives over many years.”
“In this context, the loss of employment was considered the greater sanction,” the company said.
Rio Tinto rewarded investors last week with the biggest dividend in its 148-year history — $9 billion in cash, including a record final dividend of $6.5 billion.
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Mongolia receives COVID-19 vaccine donation from China www.xinhuanet.com

Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia on Monday night received 300,000 doses of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine donated by China.
The vaccine donation was welcomed at the Chinggis Khaan International Airport in Mongolia's capital city of Ulan Bator by Mongolian Deputy Prime Minister Sainbuyan Amarsaikhan and Chinese Ambassador to Mongolia Chai Wenrui.
"On behalf of the Mongolian government and people, I would like to express my deep gratitude to China, our friendly neighbor and comprehensive strategic partner, for extending its helping hand during this difficult time," said Amarsaikhan.
"There is a Mongolian saying that goes, 'Close neighbors have one life, far away neighbors have one mind.' Since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, Mongolia and China have provided each other with material and emotional support, which is a real example of how neighboring countries are overcoming difficulties together," he said.
For his part, Chai said, "The current global vaccine supply and demand are very tight. China has overcome difficulties when its own vaccine supply is not sufficient, and has not hesitated to give 300,000 doses of vaccine to Mongolia free of charge, which shows that China attaches great importance to China-Mongolia relations and the friendship between the two peoples."
The Chinese ambassador expressed confidence that these vaccines will contribute to the protection of people's lives and the fight against the pandemic in Mongolia.
Mongolia is planning to vaccinate at least 60 percent of its 3.3 million people, or all adults in the country, against the coronavirus, with 20 percent of them to be vaccinated under COVAX, a global initiative to ensure quick and equal access to vaccines against the virus, according to the country's health ministry.
The Asian country is expected to launch a nationwide COVID-19 vaccination campaign on Tuesday.
As of Monday, the country recorded 2,693 COVID-19 cases, with six deaths. Enditem
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