China's Ministry of National Defense issued a statement saying that the Chinese and Mongolian armies will hold the first joint training of the two armies in the near future to further deepen the strategic mutual trust between the two armies. Ulaanbaatar is using a special way to maintain its balanced diplomatic strategy, cutting off the idea of the United States sending troops to Mongolia.
[PLA troops will go north to Mongolia to participate in bilateral joint training]
The joint training of the Chinese and Mongolian armies, codenamed "Steppe Buddies-2024", will be held in the East Gobi Province in southeastern Mongolia. The People's Liberation Army (PLA) will send a battalion-sized unit to Mongolia for training. Judging from the statement in the announcement that the ministry "carries various types of weapons and wheeled equipment", the PLA may have dispatched a composite battalion mainly equipped with wheeled combat vehicles.
Although the main topic of the joint training is still "responding to the activities of illegal armed groups", which is biased towards responding to non-traditional security threats, the joint training still has special significance.
China and Mongolia share thousands of kilometers of land borders, and the security cooperation between China and Mongolia is mainly concentrated on land, and the army is the most important component of the Mongolian army, but for a long time before, the Chinese and Mongolian armies rarely carried out bilateral joint operations. Joint exercises and trainings similar to the "Steppe Partners-2024" are more concentrated between the border guards of the two countries. Therefore, the holding of this joint training will help the two militaries further deepen strategic mutual trust and carry out practical cooperation.
[Officers and soldiers of the Chinese and Mongolian armies participating in the "Border Cooperation-2023" joint exercise]
In addition to the significance of the exchange at the military level, this joint training also reflects the geostrategic attitude of the Mongolian government to a certain extent.
Due to its own weak national strength and the bad memories of being fully controlled by the Soviet Union during the Cold War, Mongolia established a balanced diplomatic strategy in the 90s of the last century, that is, while maintaining friendly relations with China and Russia, through the "third neighbor" strategy, introduce more external forces, balance the influence of China and Russia, and ensure its independence.
Mongolia's special geographical location between China and Russia also made the United States and other parties immediately pay attention to Mongolia's diplomatic strategic turn, and began to actively woo Mongolia to act as Mongolia's "third neighbor".
However, Mongolia itself has no access to the sea, its economic development is more dependent on mineral exports, and it needs Russian energy and Chinese industrial products, which makes it difficult for the United States to really make a difference in the economic field and push Mongolia to move closer to itself.
[In August last year, Mongolian Prime Minister Oyun Erden visited the United States and met with US Secretary of Defense Austin and others]
Therefore, the main entry point for the United States to win over Mongolia has shifted to the cultural, educational, military, and other fields. About one-third of Mongolia's parliamentarians have an American education. Various Western NGOs are also operating in Mongolia, spreading anti-Russian and anti-China rhetoric.
In the military field, the West has also made a lot of moves. In 1996, the United States and Mongolia signed a series of bilateral agreements under which US troops could be temporarily stationed in Mongolia if necessary, and the other side was obliged to help if the security of either side was threatened.
In 2003, Mongolia became a "global partner" of NATO, and since that year, the United States and Mongolia have jointly held the "Khan Quest" series of joint military exercises almost every year, and invited other countries to participate. In recent years, the PLA has also participated in this series of military exercises on several occasions to strengthen ties with Mongolia and balance US influence.
In addition to military exercises, the United States has continuously strengthened cooperation with the Mongolian military in areas such as personnel training through programs such as the International Military Education and Training (IMET), in an attempt to enhance its influence in the Mongolian military. After nearly 20 years of cooperation, there are many high-level officers in the Mongolian army, who have participated in IMET and other projects.
[U.S. military personnel participating in the "Khan Exploration" series of military exercises]
In addition, the United States has also actively helped the Mongolian army through the NATO framework to build modern combat capabilities. In January this year, the cyber security center established by NATO with the help of the Mongolian army was officially inaugurated.
After completing this series of layouts, the United States proposed to Mongolia to open some military biological laboratories in Mongolia. At the same time, it is possible that the US side has sent a signal to the Mongolian side in some communication that it wants to set up a military base in Mongolia.
However, the current Mongolian government is still aware that Mongolia's geographical location has determined that Mongolia must maintain good relations with China and Russia in order to ensure stability and development. The Mongolian Government has made clear its position through its embassy in Russia, giving Russia a reassurance.
[The Chinese and Mongolian armies have previously participated in strategic direction military exercises organized by the Russian side]
The Mongolian Embassy in Russia said that Ulaanbaatar has ruled out the possibility of the United States establishing a military base on Mongolian territory, stressing that according to the provisions of the Mongolian constitution, there will be no military bases of other countries in the country. Mongolia will not follow the U.S. demands and take action against its own partners.
At the same time, Enkhbayar, adviser to the President of Mongolia on internal affairs and security affairs, went to St. Petersburg for a meeting with the Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Patrushev.
While making clear its position to Russia, Mongolia will inevitably conduct some communication and exchanges with China. The joint army training held by the Chinese and Mongolian armies this time should also be a practical means for the two sides to tell Washington that China and Mongolia also have a good foundation for military cooperation, and the Mongolian side will not further lean towards the United States.
[The People's Liberation Army has also participated in the "Khan Exploration" series of military exercises many times before]
From another point of view, China, Mongolia and Russia have actually reached a tacit understanding on regional security issues, that China and Russia will not demand that Mongolia completely abandon the "third neighbor" strategy, and Mongolia will not break through the bottom line of China and Russia and truly turn itself into the wedge that the United States inserts into the hinterland of China and Russia. The Western camp led by the United States has lost the possibility of achieving its strategic goals through normal means of co-optation.
At present, China and Russia are actively deepening cooperation with Mongolia in the field of security, to a certain extent, to prevent the United States from taking risks, using their own years of infiltration to launch a "color revolution" in Mongolia and stir up the regional situation in a different way.