The China Mongolia Expo has become an important platform for economic and trade exchanges and cultural exchanges between China and Mongolia

On September 6th, tourists took a group photo outside the Chilechuan International Convention and Exhibition Center in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, where the 4th China Mongolia Expo was held. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Beihe

Hohhot, September 11th (Xinhua) - The China Mongolia Expo has become an important platform for economic, trade and cultural exchanges between China and Mongolia

Xinhua News Agency reporters Halina and Wang Chunyan

The China Mongolia Expo, as an international exhibition jointly organized by the governments of China and Mongolia, has become an important platform for economic, trade and cultural exchanges between the two countries after years of cultivation.

From September 6th to 10th, the 4th China Mongolia Expo was held in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. With the theme of "jointly building a new pattern of opening up and sharing new opportunities for development", the Expo held more than 10 trade and investment promotion and conference forum activities.

This year's expo has gathered more than 3000 enterprises from 35 countries and regions, including Mongolia, Russia, and Canada, setting a new record. At the National Economic and Trade Fair for Opening up to the North held on the 6th, Chinese and Mongolian enterprises signed a total of 138 projects with a total signing amount of 334.3 billion yuan, involving new materials, chemicals, equipment manufacturing, energy, green agricultural and livestock product production and processing, and other fields.

"Nowadays, the areas of cooperation between Mongolia and China are becoming wider and there are more and more projects. This international expo not only deepens the economic and trade relations between Mongolia and China, promotes the economic development of border areas, but also plays an important role in expanding regional economic and trade cooperation and cultural exchanges," said Deputy Prime Minister Amar Saihan of Mongolia.

In recent years, bilateral economic and trade cooperation between China and Mongolia has continued to expand. According to statistics, the bilateral trade volume between China and Mongolia reached 12.2 billion US dollars in 2022, a year-on-year increase of 34%. In the first half of this year, the bilateral trade volume between China and Mongolia increased by 62.6% year-on-year, continuing to maintain a strong growth momentum.

The cooperation in the production and processing of green agricultural and livestock products between China and Mongolia continues to deepen. There are 27 green agricultural and livestock product production and processing projects signed by China Mongolia enterprises in this expo, with an agreement amount of 37.7 billion yuan.

Guo Zhanjiang, Director of the Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Department of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, said that the trade volume of agricultural and livestock products between China and Mongolia has increased from 470 million US dollars in 2018 to 760 million US dollars in 2022, maintaining a good development momentum. During this year's China Mongolia Expo, enterprises from both countries will cooperate and exchange ideas in the development of agricultural and animal husbandry industries, technological exchanges, processing and trade of agricultural and livestock products, and integration of agriculture, culture, and tourism.

In recent days, exhibitors from Mongolia, Canada, Pakistan and other countries have been presenting Chinese product brochures to Chinese consumers in the exhibition hall of the Chilechuan International Convention and Exhibition Center in Hohhot.

The exhibitor Batuirir from Darhanoula Province, Mongolia has just signed an order. Batuyirir said, "Although this is the first time the company has participated in the expo, it has yielded great results. Not only have we signed orders, but we have also had discussions with Chinese companies, giving our products the opportunity to enter the Chinese market. In recent years, more and more Mongolian companies and businessmen have come to China to seek development opportunities, and the Mongolia China Expo is a great platform for us."

On September 6th, tourists made purchases at the 4th China Mongolia Expo. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Beihe

During this Expo, a series of conference activities were also held to promote the continuous warming of cultural exchanges between China and Mongolia.

On the evening of the 5th, the China Mongolia Russia International Cultural Exchange Exhibition "Rainbow of Friendship" was held at the Inner Mongolia Art Theatre. More than 600 professional actors from China, Mongolia, and Russia, using songs to convey emotions and dance party friends.

"Shocking and exciting! The performers are all artists and performance groups with world-class and national artistic standards. The program selects representative traditional cultural arts from China, Mongolia, and Russia, showcasing the theme of 'Rainbow of Friendship' very well." Mongolian audience Aodunqimuge said.

During the Expo, China, Mongolia, and Russia also held an international tourism promotion conference on the "Ten Thousand Li Tea Ceremony". The main leaders, tourism enterprises, experts, and scholars from the "Ten Thousand Li Tea Ceremony" node cities in China, Mongolia, and Russia jointly promoted and discussed multiple measures for cultural exchange and economic connectivity among cities in China, Mongolia, and Russia.

"Ten thousand mile tea ceremony" flourished in the 17th century, starting from Mount Wuyi, Fujian Province, China in the south, crossing the Mongolian Plateau, and finally reaching St. Petersburg, Russia, with a total distance of 13000 kilometers. Now, in the process of promoting the construction of the "the Belt and Road" and the construction of the China Mongolia Russia Economic Corridor, China, Mongolia and Russia are committed to reviving this ancient international trade route and deepening the cultural exchanges among transnational cities.

For many years, Inner Mongolia, as an important node city on the "Ten Thousand Li Tea Road", has established smooth cooperative relationships with Mongolia and Russia. It has carried out international self driving activities on the "Ten Thousand Li Tea Road" between China, Russia, and Mongolia, launched the "Grassland Star" and "Ten Thousand Li Tea Road" tourism special trains, and organized the "Friendship, Peace, and Young Ambassadors" China Russia Mongolia Youth Tourism Summer Camp for ten consecutive years, further facilitating communication channels between the three countries.

From January to August 2023, Inner Mongolia received 110000 Russian tourists and 684000 Mongolian tourists, accounting for approximately 89% and 90% of the national reception, respectively.

At the China Mongolia Women's Development and Cooperation Conference, after friendly consultations, the two sides planned to carry out a two-year cooperation in the development of women and children.