by means of Idrees Ali
ULAN BATOR, Aug eight (Reuters) - U.S. protection Secretary Mark Esper is decided to meet senior Mongolian leaders on Thursday in a infrequent visit to the strategically critical nation to deepen ties, as the Pentagon seeks to put into effect its approach of focusing on countering China and Russia.
On a map, Mongolia, locked between Russia and China, superior represents the Pentagon's priorities over the arrival decades.
Esper's visit to Mongolia, on his first international go back and forth when you consider that being demonstrated as defense secretary, highlights the value the nation is considered as taking part in in the location.
here is the primary consult with to the country by a protection secretary because 2014, when Chuck Hagel spent about four hours there. Esper should be spending a night within the capital, Ulan Bator.
On Wednesday night, Esper become welcomed to Ulan Bator in response to customized, and tried dried milk curd upon stepping off the airplane at Chinggis Khaan international Airport, named after the country's warrior-emperor.
he's set to meet Mongolia's president and protection minister on Thursday.
however the ceremonial highlight of the discuss with could be when Esper is given a horse as a present later in the day.
"Mongolia is, given its place, given its hobby in working more with us, their 'third neighbor' policy, all those things, is the reason I want to go there and engage," Esper told journalists touring with him around Asia prior this week.
Mongolia is anticipating investment from the USA and other countries it considers "third neighbors" to help it cut back its economic dependence on China, during which most of its exports of cashmere and other items circulate.
Late final month, Mongolian President Battulga Khaltmaa visited Washington to fulfill with President Donald Trump.
"they've been a superb ally that punches above its weight, and that i suppose Secretary Esper wants to well known (that) and see if there are how you can develop the partnership extra," pointed out a senior U.S. protection professional, talking on the situation of anonymity.
The legitimate said that whereas this go back and forth was no longer about promoting any selected initiative, the us is raring to look at expanding ties, doubtlessly in areas like military working towards, which could take advantage of Mongolia's cold climate.
REGIONAL significance
Esper's trip to Mongolia comes at a very tense time in family members between the U.S. and China, which can be locked into an escalating change battle.
remaining yr, the U.S. defense force put countering China and Russia at the center of a new country wide protection method, transferring priorities after more than a decade and a half of focusing on the combat towards Islamist militants.
Mongolia has been a constant U.S. militia accomplice, offering troops to U.S.-led missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, the place it still has about 200 troops.
It additionally has a relationship with North Korea, anything Washington might leverage as Trump seeks to revive stalled denuclearization talks with Pyongyang. The nation is obtainable with the aid of rail from North Korea.
"Mongolia is not going to facet wholly with any one in opposition t any one," stated Abraham Denmark, a former U.S. deputy assistant secretary of protection for East Asia.
"but they wish to bolster their relationships with the united states as a result of might be they desire American economic engagement and political engagement, but additionally because it offers them a bit extra respiratory area of their relations with Beijing and Moscow," Denmark pointed out. (Reporting by Idrees Ali; enhancing by means of Jonathan Oatis)
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