Recently, Mongolia, which is the mainstay of its animal husbandry economy, has suffered a rare and severe ice and snow disaster. Since late February, severe cold weather has swept across the country like an iron horse, and the amount of snowfall in many places has set a new record for nearly half a century, and almost the entire country has been covered in snow, and the snow depth in some areas has even exceeded 1 meter. This extreme climate has had a devastating impact on Mongolia's livestock industry, with large areas of pasture buried deep in the snow and unable to forage for livestock, and more than 670,000 livestock have died of cold and hunger in just half a month, and this number continues to grow, and is expected to peak at the end of the month.
This disaster not only put tremendous pressure on Mongolia's economy, but also directly affected the lives of thousands of herder families and the lifeline of the national economy. As an important pillar of the country's economy, the plight of the livestock industry has led to a sharp decline in the production of agricultural products such as meat and dairy products, and the imbalance between market demand and **, and the price of goods has soared. At the same time, the resumption of production and reconstruction will require significant financial investment, putting further pressure on already stretched budgets.
Despite the enormous challenges of natural disasters, Mongolia's diplomatic activities have not been suspended, but have become more active. Over the past period, Mongolia has been actively expanding cooperation and exchanges with its "third neighbors" such as South Korea, Japan and Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia. For example, the recent agreement with South Korea to increase flights, the Minister of Defense visited Japan, the first defense cooperation, and the United States to carry out cooperation consultations in the field of hardware.
However, in the course of Mongolia's foreign policy as a "third neighbor", the reality seems a little harsh. When Mongolia was hit by ice and snow, these so-called "neighbors" did not show enough attention and substantial assistance. In many diplomatic occasions, not a single country has taken the initiative to mention the severe disaster that Mongolia is currently facing, and none of them has proposed a concrete assistance plan.
Just when Mongolia was in a difficult situation of isolation and helplessness, China reached out in time to help. The Chinese ambassador to Mongolia announced that China** has urgently provided US$200,000 in cash assistance, and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region** has generously provided material aid worth about 1.24 million yuan. In addition, the Chinese Embassy in Mongolia and Chinese enterprises in Mongolia also responded by donating money and materials and actively participating in the rescue operation. Mongolian Prime Minister Oyun Erden expressed his heartfelt gratitude for this, stressing that China was the first country to lend a helping hand to Mongolia at an unprecedented difficult time, which fully reflects the deep friendly relations and the spirit of solidarity and mutual assistance between the two countries. He looked forward to further deepening and developing Sino-Mongolian relations in the future.
However, China's aid can only alleviate Mongolia's immediate needs, and to achieve long-term stable economic development, Mongolia must adjust its economic development strategy and promote industrial transformation and upgrading. At present, Mongolia is too dependent on animal husbandry and mining, especially the exploitation of mineral resources such as coal, copper and gold, which has great risks and uncertainties, which is not conducive to environmental protection and restricts the healthy development of agriculture and animal husbandry.
Mongolia urgently needs to develop a long-term development plan to accelerate the transition to renewable energy, tourism and information technology. In recent years, Mongolia has shown its potential in these emerging industries, but it still needs to be vigorously explored and cultivated. For example, the use of abundant wind and solar energy resources to develop a clean energy industry; Relying on the advantages of natural scenery and cultural heritage, improve the overall level of tourism; and the use of information technology to promote economic and social modernization.
China can play an important role in this process, providing all-round support for Mongolia's industrial upgrading. First, in terms of renewable energy, China, with its rich experience and technological advantages, can help Mongolia establish and improve its renewable energy system through technology transfer, joint ventures or joint development projects. Secondly, in terms of tourism development, China can provide planning guidance, professional training and management experience to help Mongolia improve the quality and comprehensive competitiveness of its tourism services. In addition, through the Belt and Road Initiative, China can help Mongolia improve its infrastructure, especially transportation and energy networks, and strengthen inter-regional connectivity, which is of great significance for improving Mongolia's international status, attracting investment and promoting economic growth.
To sum up, the occurrence of the ice and snow disaster in Mongolia undoubtedly highlights the importance of mutual assistance between neighboring countries, and China's strong assistance at a critical moment has made Mongolia deeply feel a sincere and reliable partnership. In the face of Mongolia's urgent need for sustainable development, China should continue to strengthen cooperation and work together to write a new chapter of friendship and cooperation between the two countries. Mongolia needs to rely on its own wisdom and efforts to promote industrial restructuring while relying on external assistance, so as to achieve economic revitalization and social progress in the true sense.