Tension Increases: Mongolian Leaders

tension increases: Why have Ulaanbaatar and Washington become closer recently As tension increases with China and Russia, US frequent interactions with Mongolia could be regarded as an attempt to create more pressure for Beijing and Moscow, according to Global Times China. Following its democratic transition, Mongolia has shown a willingness to become a liberal and democratic country with the US as its role model. During the state visit, the White House said, The US and Mongolia have agreed that their relationship has reached the level of a 'strategic partnership.' On Thursday, US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper was in Mongolia where he met high-ranking Mongolian leaders. This is in line with US strategy and provides room for Washington to export its ideology and values to Ulaanbaatar, which aimed at Beijing and Moscow. According to the US Geological Survey in 2009, Mongolia had 31 million tons of rare-earth resources, 16.77 percent of the world's total and second only to China. As the China-US trade war continues to escalate, reports say that China could slash its rare-earth exports to the US as a countermeasure. (news.financializer.com). As reported in the news.