Advertisement
Diplomacy
ChinaDiplomacy

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi calls for mutual respect in Mongolia visit

  • Protesters accuse Beijing education policy in neighbouring autonomous region of suppressing Mongolian culture in China
  • Diplomatic meeting coincides with strong exchange between Chinese ambassador to Ulan Bator and former Mongolian president

Reading Time:2 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
0
Protesters, many in traditional dress, gather in Ulan Bator, in response to the Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s visit to Mongolia on Tuesday. Photo: EPA-EFE
Sarah Zheng
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has sought to shore up relations with neighbouring Mongolia during a visit to its capital Ulan Bator, where protesters have accused Beijing of suppressing the Mongolian language in China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

More than 100 protesters convened in Ulan Bator’s main square, many in traditional Mongolian clothing, on Tuesday to coincide with the visit, chanting slogans including “Wang Yi go away” and calling to protect their language.

During talks with his Mongolian counterpart, Nyamtseren Enkhtaivan, on Tuesday, Wang said the two countries should respect each other’s sovereignty, strengthen mutual political trust and avoid interfering in each other’s internal affairs, according to China’s foreign ministry.

01:48

Mongolians protest Beijing’s language policy in Inner Mongolia as Chinese foreign minister visits

Mongolians protest Beijing’s language policy in Inner Mongolia as Chinese foreign minister visits
The two sides also discussed advancing projects along Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative, cooperation during the coronavirus pandemic and expanding Mongolian coal and agricultural exports to China.

A statement from Mongolia’s foreign ministry did not refer to mutual respect on domestic affairs, but added that, along with increasing bilateral trade, there was discussion of strengthening trilateral cooperation with Russia.

Wang’s visit followed rare mass demonstrations in northern China’s Inner Mongolia, a region home to more than 4.2 million ethnic Mongolians, over a new curriculum that would replace Mongolian with Mandarin Chinese as the language of instruction for three subjects.

Tens of thousands have protested against the policy change, seeing it as a move to extinguish the Mongolian language and culture, while Beijing has defended the action as necessary to help ethnic Mongolians with employment and to better integrate into the majority ethnic Han society.

Wang is expected to also meet this week Mongolian President Khaltmaagiin Battulga, who in February was the first foreign leader to visit China after the new coronavirus outbreak and offered a donation of 30,000 sheep.

Advertisement