China-Mongolia people-to-people exchanges deepen ties, building a shared cultural future

Editor's note: Qi Huijun, a special commentator for CGTN, is a deputy director and associate professor at the Department of Northern Borderland Studies, Institute of Chinese Borderland Studies, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS). The article reflects the author's views and not necessarily those of CGTN.

China and Mongolia are neighbors connected by mountains and rivers, sharing a long history of friendship spanning millennia. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations on October 16, 1949, friendship has remained the defining theme of bilateral ties. Over the past two decades in particular, relations have advanced rapidly, delivering fruitful outcomes that have injected strong momentum into bilateral cooperation.

From the historic grassland Silk Road and the "Tea Road of the North" to today's China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor, people-to-people exchanges have served as the enduring bond linking the two nations. They remain an inexhaustible driving force behind the steady and sustained development of the China-Mongolia comprehensive strategic partnership.

The foundation of these exchanges is deeply rooted in historical legacy and emotional resonance. In the 1950s and 1960s, at Mongolia's request, China dispatched more than 27,000 aid workers to support construction projects across the country, with over 120 of them laying down their lives far from home. Their footprints reached across Mongolia, where they completed more than 850 projects, building a bridge of mutual understanding between the two peoples through their dedication and hard work.

Today, many iconic structures in Mongolia – such as the National Sports Stadium in Ulan Bator, completed in 1958 with a capacity of around 15,000; the Peace Bridge, a key north-south transport artery in Ulan Bator; and the Ulan Bator Department Store, known as the "sister building" of Beijing's Wangfujing Department Store – have become an integral part of daily life for the Mongolian people.

Education also serves as a core vehicle for people-to-people exchanges and a vital link in sustaining friendship. Since the signing of the Agreement on Cultural Cooperation between China and Mongolia in 1994, educational exchanges have continued to expand, yielding fruitful results.

In May 2008, Mongolia's first Confucius Institute was inaugurated at the National University of Mongolia. In December 2010, the Confucius Institute at the Mongolian National University of Education officially began operations. Over the past 15 years, it has trained more than 8,800 participants and organized 119 cultural events, reaching nearly 8,000 attendees. Mongolia now hosts four Confucius Institutes and two Confucius Classrooms, which not only provide Mongolian students with opportunities to learn Chinese and experience Chinese culture, but also serve as important platforms for deepening educational cooperation and promoting mutual learning between civilizations.

In Erenhot, a Chinese border city, exchanges of travelers, traders, and students are frequent, with multiple primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions, as well as kindergartens, enrolling students from Mongolia. For instance, since enrolling its first five Mongolian transfer students in 1996, the city's No. 3 Middle School has admitted Mongolian students every year. By September 2023, enrollment had expanded to three classes per grade, totaling 124 students. China-Mongolia educational cooperation bears witness to the growing understanding and friendship among young people of both countries, nurturing a steady stream of new forces for bilateral ties.

Cities provide important platforms for people-to-people exchanges, while grassroots interactions serve as a vital source of mutual understanding. Over the 35 years since Hohhot and Ulan Bator established sister-city relations, the two sides have exchanged tens of thousands of delegation visits, fostering comprehensive cooperation and launching a series of flagship events such as "Ulan Bator Week" and "Hohhot Day," forming a multi-tiered and wide-ranging exchange framework.

In recent years, the successful convening of two meetings of the Joint Committee on China-Mongolia People-to-People Exchanges has provided institutional support for cooperation in the cultural and people-to-people fields. Programs such as the "Chinese Bridge" language competition and Chinese storytelling contests for Mongolian secondary school students have turned language into a bridge across borders. Frequent exchanges among friendship groups and vibrant cultural and artistic interactions have further embedded China-Mongolia friendship in the hearts of the people.

At a new historical starting point, the friendship forged through mutual respect and mutual support has taken deep root among the two peoples. The chapter of mutual learning between civilizations jointly written by China and Mongolia forms an indelible part of history. Attempts by some to undermine bilateral relations by distorting history or sowing division run counter to the shared aspiration of both peoples for peace and friendship, and are ultimately futile. Today, China and Mongolia are writing a new chapter of people-to-people connectivity and a shared future in the new era.

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