Exclusive | China, Mongolia to fight sandstorms amid calls to curb economic and ecological harm
- Sandstorms cloaked Beijing and China’s northern regions in March and April and President Xi Jinping demanded urgent action last week
- The Post has learned that following a meeting in China in early May, a Chinese delegation is set to visit Mongolia from later this month to jointly work on solutions
Beijing and Ulaanbaatar have stepped up joint efforts to prevent sandstorms that swept across northern China earlier this year, with a Chinese delegation set to visit Mongolia from later this month to jointly work on solutions, according to information obtained by the Post.
A delegation led by Nyamosor Batkhuu, an environment and green development policy adviser to Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh, and forestry department head Byambasuren Oyunsanaa visited China for six days in early May following an invitation from the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.
During the trip, the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding after discussions that took place in China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region.
A Chinese research team has now been invited to visit Mongolia between June 25 and July 10 to assess desertification issues in Mongolia.
A joint working group will then be formed to facilitate the establishment of the China-Mongolia Cooperation Centre for Combating Desertification in Mongolia, the Post has learned.
China’s forestry authority will also arrange for Chinese experts to work in the centre, which will be jointly run by the two countries.
