Author Archives: mendee

About mendee

Jargalsaikhan Mendee is a Deputy Director of the Institute for Defense Studies of Mongolia. He holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of British Columbia, and MAs in International Relations from the US Naval Postgraduate School and in Asia-Pacific Policy Studies from the Institute of Asian Research of the University of British Columbia.

Mongolia – From Sino-Russian Buffer to Conversion Zone

Posted on November 29, 2014 by mendee

Last autumn, Presidents Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin made separate visits to Mongolia, met for a tri-lateral (Russia-China-Mongolia) summit in the Tajikistan capital of Dushanbe during the leadership summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and dispatched their vice-foreign ministers … Continue reading →

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Posted in Asia Pacific Memo, China, Foreign Policy, Mongolia and ..., Russia | Tagged | Leave a comment

A Professional Minister vs. Professional Bureaucrats

Posted on November 22, 2014 by mendee

The political climate in Ulaanbaatar is now in favour of the pro-professional cabinet.  President, Chairman, members of parliament, and even well-known columnist Baabar advised Mr. New Prime Minister to recruit professionals outside from the parliament and to tame the parochial interests.  This is … Continue reading →

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Posted in Governance, Party Politics, Politics, Public Service | Tagged | 2 Comments

A Little Correction to Mr. Enkhsaikhan’s Push for Constitutional Reform

Posted on November 21, 2014 by mendee

By MENDEE Jargalsaikhan Coinciding with the birth of New Prime Minister, Mr. Enkhsaikhan, former Prime Minister and one of the political heavyweights, made an interesting presentation at the research workshop on the “Constitutional Reform” – link. He was sharing his view … Continue reading →

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Posted in Constitution, Democracy, Governance, Politics, Research on Mongolia | Tagged | Leave a comment

Why are American investors struggling in Mongolia?

Posted on August 1, 2014 by mendee

Unlike the 1990s, Mongolia is now in the radar of US investors. Then, Mongolians were desperate for US investors, but few responded because of the unattractive market environment, uncertain political and socio-economic development, and undeveloped regulatory framework for foreign investment. … Continue reading →

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Posted in Business, Foreign Investment, Mining | Tagged | 2 Comments

Caveats for the Mongolia-China Strategic Partnership

Posted on July 28, 2014 by mendee

China and Mongolia upgraded their bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership in 2011. Last year, both countries agreed to the implementation of a detailed action plan to strengthen their strategic partnership in the five specific areas of politics, security, the … Continue reading →

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Posted in China, Foreign Policy, International Relations, Mongolia and ... | Tagged | Leave a comment

Khaan Quest 2014: a small exercise with big implications

Posted on June 24, 2014 by mendee

Just recovering from the heavy study term and now trying to join you all.  Here is a link to my recent op-ed on Khaan Quest, a brainchild of the US-Mongolian militaries over two decades of partnership.  The exercise is the only … Continue reading →

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Posted in Foreign Policy, Military, United States | Tagged | Leave a comment

Rosneft Pipelines to and Through Mongolia

Posted on May 1, 2014 by mendee

Events in Ukraine create both uncertainties and opportunities in Ulaanbaatar. A changing balance of power in Europe and closer ties between two regional powers, Russia and China, certainly create new uncertainty for Mongolia. With their country’s “regionless” fate of living … Continue reading →

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Posted in China, Infrastructure, International Relations, Mongolia and ..., Russia, United States | Tagged | Leave a comment

Foreign Policy Implications of Mongolian Crony Democracy

Posted on April 21, 2014 by mendee

Though considered a healthy—albeit developing—democracy, Mongolia has in recent years become dominated by the competing interests of its political and business factions, whose collective actions undermine the country’s democratization trends as well as complicate Ulaanbaatar’s foreign policy. For now, Mongolia … Continue reading →

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Posted in China, Democracy, Foreign Policy, Mongolia and ..., Party Politics, Russia | Tagged | Leave a comment

Export peacekeeping training to Central and East Asia

Posted on December 23, 2013 by mendee

This op-ed is first appeared in The Embassy, Canada’s foreign policy newsweekly (12/19/2013) Canada, a co-creator of United Nations peacekeeping, has a substantial comparative advantage in transferring peacekeeping knowledge to Central and East Asian countries, including former communist states, as it … Continue reading →

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Posted in Canada, Central Asia, Military, Mongolia and ..., UN | Tagged | Leave a comment

Visas, Medicine, Education: Feeling Chinese Soft Power in Mongolia

Posted on December 16, 2013 by mendee

China has been gradually increasing its soft power in neighbouring Mongolia, from offers of visa-free travel to access to its medical facilities, and most recently, growing educational opportunities in China for Mongolians. These policies have gone far in diminishing deep-seated … Continue reading →

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Posted in Asia Pacific Memo, China, International Relations, Publications | Tagged | 1 Comment

Mongolian Defense Diplomacy

Posted on October 9, 2013 by mendee

Over the last few months, Mongolia has hosted or taken part in several multi-national military exercises with the aim to develop the Mongolian army’s peacekeeping abilities, as well as a way to leverage military-to-military ties as a tool of diplomacy. … Continue reading →

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Posted in China, Eurasia Daily Monitor, Foreign Policy, Military, Russia, United States | Tagged | Leave a comment

Mongolian Presidential Election Ends in Ruling Democratic Party’s Favor

Posted on July 8, 2013 by mendee

On July 3, the Mongolian parliament endorsed Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj’s second term as the country’s president, based on the General Election Commission’s report (Press Release of the Mongolian parliament, July 3). The swearing-in ceremony will be organized on July 10, on … Continue reading →

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Posted in Democracy, Elections, Party Politics, Presidential 2013 | Tagged | Leave a comment

Run-off Is Unlikely

Posted on May 28, 2013 by mendee

Politics in Mongolia is always interesting, dynamic, and puzzling – especially, towards  elections.  I like to challenge Julian’s earlier post about the potential for a run-off in the presidential election and argue that the incumbent has a strong likelihood of … Continue reading →

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Posted in Democracy, Democratic Party, Elections, Mongolian People's Party, Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party, Party Politics, Politics, Presidential 2013 | Tagged | 2 Comments

Major Revision of Mongolian Mining Regulations Is Underway

Posted on May 11, 2013 by mendee

The first public debate on the proposed revisions of Mongolia’s mining regulations was conducted at the Citizen’s Hall of the Mongolian government on January 18, 2013. Although the revisions are long overdue, legislators appear to be in agreement that more … Continue reading →

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Posted in Corruption, Eurasia Daily Monitor, Governance, Law, Mining, Mining, Oyu Tolgoi, Social Movements | Tagged | 2 Comments

Turkish Prime Minister’s Visit to Mongolia

Posted on May 9, 2013 by mendee

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Mongolia last month (April 11–12) is likely to result in closer bilateral economic cooperation in addition to the two countries’ already well-established cultural, educational and security ties. As is traditional for Turkish … Continue reading →

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Posted in Bilateral Aid, Eurasia Daily Monitor, Foreign Policy, International Relations, Mongolia and ..., Turkey | Tagged | 1 Comment