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    

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

NEWS

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China’s reported ban on Australian coal escalates dispute beyond mere nuisance www.reuters.com

(The opinions expressed here are those of the author, Clyde Russell, a columnist for Reuters)
China has reportedly told coal traders and users to stop imports from Australia with immediate effect in a move that would choke a major trade channel for both countries, a major escalation of political tensions between the pair.
Commodity price reporting agencies S&P Global Platts and Argus, as well as other media outlets, reported in recent days hearing from unnamed sources that Beijing had given “verbal” instructions to some steel mills, power companies and coal traders to halt imports from Australia.
If the reports are accurate – there has been no official confirmation yet – it would constitute a serious deterioration in the relationship between Australia and its largest trading partner. Coal is one of the big three Australian commodity exports to China, coming in behind iron ore and liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Ties between the two have been severely strained on a political level by Canberra’s call for an international investigation into the novel coronavirus pandemic, which originated in China before spreading globally.
So far Beijing has effectively banned imports of Australian barley, placed restrictions on wine and meat, and discouraged students and others from travelling to Australia.
While these measures certainly are negative to the sectors involved, they are still relatively insignificant when compared to the overall trading relationship between Australia and China.
Australia is China’s top supplier of iron ore and coking coal, the two main ingredients used to make steel, while also being a major provider of LNG and thermal coal, used predominantly in power stations.
It’s worth noting that this isn’t the first time that China has supposedly imposed some sort of ban, or go-slow, on imports of coal from Australia.
The most recent occasion was in March 2019, when there was reported to be an unofficial slowing of customs clearances of Australian cargoes.
However, despite extensive reporting on the delaying of shipments, Australian coal exports to China seemed to show very little impact, with a small dip in February 2019 being made up a rebound in March that year.
It will take several months to work out if China is being more serious this time around, or if the reported import restrictions are just part of the wider cut and thrust of the ongoing political tensions.
In the meantime, vessel-tracking and port data compiled by Refinitiv show that China has already been slowing imports of Australian coal.
September imports of all coal types from Australia were 5.48 million tonnes, down from 6.04 million in August and 8.17 million in July.
In year-to-date terms, China imported 67.68 million tonnes from Australia in the first nine months, a drop of 7.3% from the same period in 2019.
Still, it’s worth noting that Indonesia, traditionally the biggest supplier of coal to China, has seen steeper declines: China’s imports from Indonesia in September were 4.18 million tonnes, the lowest since Refinitiv started vessel-tracking in January 2015.
For the first nine months of 2020, China imported 86.63 million tonnes from Indonesia, down 17% from the same period last year.
China is believed to have been restricting coal imports, particularly thermal grades, in order to support prices for domestic miners, and it appears that so far Indonesia has taken a bigger hit than Australia.
Escalation fears
Another factor worth noting is that while coal is one of the big three Australian commodity exports to China, it’s still the one upon which China is least reliant, and Beijing has a realistic chance of being able to source alternative supplies.
In thermal coal, China can source similar grades from Russia, South Africa, Colombia and the United States without incurring too much of a financial penalty through higher freight charges.
In coking coal, the situation is somewhat tricker.
AUSTRALIA SUPPLIES ABOUT 68% OF CHINA’S IRON ORE IMPORTS
Australia’s share of China’s coking coal imports in the first half of 2020 was about two-thirds, according to the Australian government’s latest Resources and Energy Publication.
Australia is the world’s largest coking coal exporter, supplying about 55% of the traded market.
If China were to stop importing from Australia, it would have to scramble to buy whatever it could from neighbouring Mongolia and Russia, as well as Canada and the United States.
While the price of Australian coking coal would no doubt suffer, the prices of these other types would also likely rally strongly: Cutting off imports from Australia will potentially be a costly exercise for Beijing.
It would also make coking coal cheaper for regional steel-making competitors, such as Japan, South Korea and India, handing those countries an advantage in the highly competitive steel export market in Asia.
These may be costs Beijing is willing to bear in its bid to keep Australia in check, but there is always a risk of undue and unforeseen escalation of the conflict.
The conservative government of Prime Minister Scott Morrison may deem it worth the risk of retaliating, with the obvious candidate being Australian iron ore, upon which China is heavily reliant.
Australia supplies about 68% of China’s iron ore imports, and there is absolutely no way the rest of the world could make up for the shortfall if shipments were halted.
Given the reliance of the Chinese economy on steel as the key component of infrastructure, construction and manufacturing, an Australian ban on iron ore exports would have a far bigger impact on China than a Chinese ban on Australian coal imports has on Australia.
(Editing by Kenneth Maxwell)
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Mongolia's capital to buy 200 school buses to ease traffic, boost safety www.xinhuanet.com

The municipal government of Mongolia's capital Ulan Bator said Tuesday it is buying 200 more school buses this year to reduce traffic congestion and ensure student safety.
"To improve access to the school transportation, we planned to buy 200 more school buses within this year. Today, we are handing over the first 75 buses to relevant schools," the city's mayor's press office said in a statement.
Traffic congestion has been one of the most pressing issues in the Mongolian capital for many years.
Parents driving their children to school are said to be one of the major factors of the traffic congestion in the city.
To cope with this problem, Ulan Bator, home to more than half of Mongolia's population of 3.2 million, launched a school bus service with 40 buses last year. Enditem
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4.4 thousand foreign workers from 92 countries employing in Mongolia www.montsame.mn

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ In the third quarter of 2020, 4.4 thousand foreign workers from 92 foreign countries were employed with labor contract in Mongolia including persons in employment work for pay or profit and persons in volunteer work without pay or profit. Compared with the same period of the previous year, the number of countries decreased by 9 and the number of foreign workers decreased by 6.0 thousand persons (57.7%).
Out of all foreign workers with labour contract in Mongolia, 3.8 thousand (86.7%) were male and 0.6 thousand (13.3%) were female. From all foreign workers in Mongolia, 47.0% is from China, 6.6% is from Russian Federation, 5.9% is from Australia, 4.6% is from South Korea, 4.2% is from Vietnam, 4.0% is from United States, 3.4% is from South Africa, 2.9% is from Philippines, 2.4% is from Great Britain, 1.7% is from Japan and remaining 17.3% is from other countries.
By age groups of foreign workers, the highest percentage or 18.4% was persons aged 45-49, 15.0% was persons aged 35-39, 14.8% was persons aged 40-44 and the lowest percentage or 2.1% was persons up to 24 years. The number of foreign workers increased by 504 persons or 13.0% from the previous quarter.
Out of total foreign workers in the third quarter of 2020, 1.7 thousand foreign workers (39.3%) are working in mining and quarrying sector, 709 workers (16.2%) are working in wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, 614 foreign workers (14.0%) are working in education sector, 472 workers (10.8%) are working in construction sector, 294 workers (6.7%) are working in manufacturing sector, 217 workers (4.9%) are working in transportation and storage, 126 workers (2.9%) are working in administrative and support service activities, and 0.2 thousand foreign workers (5.2%) are working in other sectors.
National Statistics Office
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Revenue from rail transport increased by 9.5 percent www.montsame.mn

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ In the first 9 months of 2020, 22.1 million tonnes of freight were carried by railway transport, increased by 1.7 million tonnes (8.1%) compared to the same period of the previous year. This increase was mainly due to 1.4 million tonnes (18.8%) increase in export freight, 258.4 thousand tonnes (8.8%) increase in transit freight, respectively.
In September 2020, carried freight reached 2.7 million tonnes and increased by 52.1 thousand tonnes (2.0%) compared to the previous month. In the first 9 months of 2020, 82.6% of carried freight by railway transport was mining product, 10.6% was construction materials, 1.8% was black iron, 0.8% were agricultural products, 0.9% was consumer food products, 0.5% was wood products and 2.8% was other products. In the first 9 months of 2020, 1.6 million passengers (double counting) carried by railway transport.
The number of carried passengers decreased by 522.5 thousand (24.1%) compared to the same period of the previous year. This decrease was mainly due to 438.2 thousand passengers (21.2%) decrease in domestic passengers. In September 2020, the number of passengers reached 225.7 thousand tonnes and decreased by 55.9 thousand (19.8%) compared to the previous month.
In the first 9 months of 2020, revenue from railway transport reached MNT 575.3 billion, increased by MNT 50.1 billion or 9.5% compared to the same period of the previous year. This increase was mainly due to increase in the transit and mining products, especially from iron ore, zinc concentrate. In September 2020, the revenue reached MNT 67.7 billion and decreased by MNT 3.2 billion (3.5%) compared to the previous month.
National Statistics Office
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Securities traded at stock market dropped by 73.2 percent from last year www.montsame.mn

Ulaanbaatar/MONTSAME/. According to the first nine months of 2020, securities worth MNT 34.8 billion were traded at the national stock market, which showed a decrease of MNT 94.9 billion (73.2%) compared to the same period of the previous year.
In September 2020, 1.8 billion pieces of securities worth MNT 14.5 million were traded at the national stock market, with a decrease of MNT 1.4 billion (43.4%), while the amount of traded securities rose by 258.1 thousand (1.8%) pieces of securities compared to the same period of the previous year. The total turnover of stocks decreased by MNT 3.3 billion (64.5%), and the pieces of securities declined by 9.1 million pieces (38.6%) from the previous month.
In September 2020, the average of indices of the top 20 financial markets was 17176.2 units, increased by 457.4 units from the previous month, but decreased by 2141.3 units from the same period of 2019.
In September 2020, the total value of joint-stock companies operating at stock markets reached MNT 2.6 trillion, increased by MNT 10.7 billion (0.4%) from the previous month, and MNT 120.9 billion (4.9%) from the same period of the previous year.
Source: National Statistics Office
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Term deposits in foreign currency increased by 74.7 percent from last year www.montsame.mn

Ulaanbaatar/MONTSAME/. The national currency in circulation reached MNT 950.1 billion at the end of September 2020, increased by MNT 21.9 billion (2.4%) from the previous month, and MNT 60.3 billion (6.8%) from the same period of the previous year.
At the end of September 2020, the term deposit in domestic currency amounted to MNT 11.6 trillion, increased by MNT 216.9 billion (1.9%) from the previous month, and increased by MNT 779.6 billion (7.2%) from the same period of the previous year.
The composition of the total term deposit in domestic currency shows that 89.4 percent (MNT 11.6 trillion) were individuals deposits and 10.6 percent (MNT 1.2 trillion) were entities deposits.
The term deposits in foreign currency amounted to MNT 5.1 trillion, increased by MNT 438.8 billion (9.4%) from the previous month and MNT 2.2 trillion (74.7%) from the same period of the previous year.
Source: National Statistics Office
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Mongolian coal exports might rise as China halts Australian shipments www.amaradiya.wixsite.com

China has given ‘verbal notice’ to state-owned power companies and steel mills to stop importing Australian coal ‘immediately’, according to a report in S&P Global Platts.
The newswire’s sources said that Huaneng Power International, Datang International Power Generation Company, Huadian Power International and Zhejiang Electric Power all received verbal notice to stop buying Australian thermal and coking coal.
Thermal coal is used for electricity generation, whilst coking coal has a higher energy content and is generally used for making steel.
China restricted imports of cheaper Australian thermal coal in May this year but left higher value Australian coking coal untouched. Australian media have cited the resumption of steady coal supplies from Mongolia, which dropped due to pandemic-related border closures in the first half of the year, as one reason for China to now target Australian coking coal.
Relations between Canberra and Beijing have plummeted and other Australian sectors, including barley and wine, have also been hit by Chinese tariffs and investigations.
Australian media also cited an unnamed Chinese source in a state-owned enterprise as saying that Australian coal imports would now face ‘more challenges’ than Mongolian coal.
“If there are discriminative treatment of countries among largest coal exports to China such as Mongolia, Indonesia, and Australia, the Australian coal will certainly be under tighter control," the source told The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald. "Australian coal will face the most challenging difficulty during custom clearance among all foreign countries."
The number of coal trucks crossing the Mongolian border into China has increased in recent months, with over up to 2000 reportedly crossing this week.
S&P Global Platts also reported that offers on Mongolian and Australian coal at Jingtang Port are currently sitting around the same price point.
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China Bans Australian Coal Imports as Political Relations Sour www.bloomberg.com

China has suspended purchases of Australian coal, according to people familiar with the order, as Beijing continues to tightly control imports of the fuel amid soured political relations with Canberra.
Chinese power stations and steel mills have been verbally told to immediately stop using Australian coal, the people said, asking not to be identified as the matter is private. Ports have also been told not to offload Australian coal, one of the people said. China’s customs administration wasn’t immediately available to comment.
The ban marks an escalation in tensions that have already jolted agricultural exports from China’s biggest supplier of commodities. It isn’t clear when the halt might end or how it might affect long-term contracts that are already in place.
The fossil fuel has been a previous target for China’s ire with what it regards as an increasingly hostile government in Canberra, most recently in 2019 when shipments became subject to port delays. It’s one of the few resources in which China is largely self-sufficient, as it mines and burns about half the world’s supply, and its utilities use lower-quality thermal coal for just a small fraction of their needs.
Higher-quality coking coal is a different story. China produces less of it and the country’s steel-making giants are still reliant on overseas suppliers, where Australia is dominant, typically accounting for over half
China is, overwhelmingly, the key buyer of Australia’s most lucrative export, iron ore, although curbs on that product would be a heavy blow to a steel industry that relies on vast -- and cheap -- supplies from mining heavyweights like Rio Tinto Group and BHP Group.
More broadly, China keeps a tight grip on coal imports as it seeks to balance the needs of its miners and industrial users. The fuel still accounts for over half of its energy needs, but is falling out of favor, albeit gradually, as China shifts to cleaner burning energy to cut pollution and meet increasingly ambitious climate goals.
“We are aware of these reports and have had discussions with Australia’s resources industry, who have previously faced occasional disruptions to trade flows with China,” Trade Minister Simon Birmingham said in a statement. “Australia will continue to highlight our standing as a reliable supplier of high grade resources that provide mutual benefits.”
BHP Group, Australia’s biggest exporter of coking coal, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. China Baowu Steel Group, the nation’s biggest mill, declined to comment. The news of the coal ban was first reported by outlets including S&P Global Platts and Argus Media.
— With assistance by Jason Rogers, Steven Yang, Qian Chen, Matthew Burgess, Alfred Cang, David Stringer, and Winnie Zhu
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Mining and quarrying gross output decreased by MNT 2.1 trillion www.montsame.mn

Ulaanbaatar/MONTSAME/. According to the preliminary results, the gross industrial output reached MNT 11.1 trillion in the first nine months of 2020, decreased by MNT 2.3 trillion (17.2%) from the same period of the previous year. This decrease was mainly due to MNT 2.1 trillion (21.5%) decrease in the mining and quarrying gross output. However, the electricity, thermal energy, and water supply production output increased by MNT 62.4 billion (7.9%) compared to the same period of the previous year.
By preliminary results, the mining and quarrying gross output reached MNT 7.6 trillion, in the first nine months of 2020, decreased by MNT 2.1 trillion (21.5%) from the same period of the previous year. This decrease was mainly due to declines in the mining of coal and lignite by MNT 2.2 trillion (52.8%) and the extraction of crude petroleum by MNT 503.6 billion (66.0%) compared to the same period of the previous year.
In September 2020, the gross industrial output reached MNT 1.7 trillion, increased by MNT 270.1 billion (19.4%) from the previous month. This increase was mainly due to MNT 268.3 billion (28.0%) increase in mining and quarrying output.
As of the preliminary results of the mining and quarrying sector, in the first nine months of 2020, fluorspar, extraction of iron ore, and gold increased by 5.0-35.1 percent compared to the same period of the previous year. In the manufacturing sector, alcohol, pure water, soft drink, juice, production of alcoholic beverage, wheat flour, cement, milk, and coal briquette increased by 0.6-56.9 percent compared to the same period of the previous year. Also, the production of masks increased by 12.5 times more compared to the same period of the previous year.
However, in the mining and quarrying sector, extractions of copper concentrate, brown coal, hard coal and crude oil decreased by 2.5-52.3 percent. In the manufacturing industry, productions of lime, cashmere products, copper cathode 99%, meat, metal steed, combed cashmere, concentrated coal and cigarettes decreased by 6.0-46.8 percent compared to the same period of the previous year.
By the preliminary results of the first nine months of 2020, the sales of industrial output reached MNT 12.7 trillion, decreased by MNT2.9 trillion (18.4%) compared to the same period of the previous year. This decrease was mainly resulted from MNT 2.6 trillion (23.8%) decrease in sales of mining and quarrying and MNT 316.0 billion (8.2%) decrease in sales of manufacturing.
The sales of mining and quarrying output decreased by MNT 2.6 trillion (23.8%) compared to the same period of the previous year. This decrease was mainly resulted MNT 2.1 trillion (52.8%) decrease in sales of coal mining and MNT 477.7 billion (66.3%) decrease in sales of crude petroleum extraction, respectively.
In the total sales of industrial output, MNT 7.1 trillion (56.3%) was export, of which MNT 5.9 trillion (83.0%) was export of mining and quarrying output.
In the total of MNT 5.9 trillion export of mining and quarrying output, 65.5 percent was metal ores, 28.3 percent was of coal and lignite, 4.1 percent was crude petroleum, 2.2 percent was other mining and quarrying output.
In September 2020, the seasonally adjusted industrial production index was 115.8 (2015=100), decreased by 0.7 percent from the same period of the previous year. But it was increased by 5.3 percent from the end of the last year, and by 13.5 percent against the last month.
Source: National Statistics Office
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Number of COVID-19 infections in Mongolia rises to 318 www.xinhuanet.com

The number of COVID-19 infections rose to 318 in Mongolia, according to the country's National Center for Communicable Diseases (NCCD) on Monday.
"A total of 2,027 tests for COVID-19 were conducted across the country in the last three days and three of them were positive," the NCCD's head Dulmaa Nyamkhuu said at a press conference.
Two of the latest three new cases are Mongolian nationals who returned home from Japan on a chartered flight on Saturday, and the rest one is a Mongolian transport driver who came back from Russia via Altanbulag border point on Oct. 8, Nyamkhuu said.
All 318 confirmed cases were imported and, among them, 310 patients have recovered from the disease.
The Asian country has not seen a single COVID-19 related death or local transmission so far. Enditem
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