Mongolian Meat Export to Rise

By Ts.Tungalagtseel

The Mongolian population is 2.7 million and the domestic animals number is over 40 million. The numbers are explained because Mongolians are traditionally nomadic and for a very long time the basis of the economy was livestock breeding.
Mongolia also has another reason for the seemingly disproportional number, its neighbors Russia and China, which are the two biggest meat importing countries in the world, according to a report from the Mongolian Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry which was made in December 2010. Historically the two neighbors have high requests to import meat and meat products from Mongolia but the requests were limited due to the international hygiene standard. Since this year the meat and meat products export volume to these two countries has increased because Mongolian meat and meat products have improved to meet international hygiene standards.

Mongolia and China have signed a meat trade agreement for 8 million sheep within 3 years. If a sheep weighs an average of 20 kg it would total 160 million kg in mutton exported to China.
Kh.Zoljargal, Vice Minister of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry made the Cooperation Agreement for Processed Meat with Pu Chan-chen, Vice President of the Ministry from General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of China.
According to the agreement Mongolia will export mutton, goat meat, and wheat. Beef and horsemeat export from Mongolia is not decided yet and the two parties are studying the processing companies and taxes of those meats. According to the agreement, the Mongolian side will import chicken from China but pork will not be imported to Mongolia from China because the quarantine of pork is being continued.
Recently, Russia has announced that it will lift the quarantine on meat imports from Mongolia. The quarantine was created in response to contaminated livestock found in Mongolia in pervious years. Mongolia is preparing to export beef from 9,034 cows, horse meat from 11,434 horses and mutton from 3,226 sheep.
During the period of socialism, the importing volume of meat to Russia reached 40 000 tons but since 1990 the meat import volume has been reduced.Russia has a high interest in importing more meat from Mongolia and it seems the volume of imported meat will increase dramatically.
Mongolia also exports meat and meat products to Kazakhstan, Japan, Ukraine, Iran, and Vietnam according to the General Customs Report.
In last year Mongolian meat export was increased by 32.9 percent (23.8 thousand ton) compared with previous year and in 2009 meat export was 17.9 thousand ton.
In the last year Mongolian meat exports increased by 32.9 percent (23.8 thousand tons) compared with the previous year and 2009 meat exports were 17.9 thousand tons.
Last year the meat export was:
-12.4 thousand tons beef and horsemeat to Russia
-8.1 thousand tons meat of goat, horsemeat and mutton to Vietnam
-2 thousand tons of mutton and goat meat to Iran
-1.3 thousand tons of horsemeat to China
In the last five years, the Mongolian livestock number is increasing and reached 45 million this year. Mongolia has the capacity to prepare 100 thousand tons of meat but is using just 15 percent of capacity, said the Ministry of Food Agriculture and Light Industry.
The need of local meat is 223 thousand tons per year.
In Mongolia livestock such as cows, horses, sheep, goats, and camels are raised out on a field as a herd. No hormones or chemicals used to feed any livestock.
The meat and meat production in Mongolia is considered the natural and organic. Raising livestock is practical because of the extensive grasslands. The harsh, dry climate makes most forms of agriculture impossible, less than one percent of the land is under cultivation. Traditional pastoral livestock raising and intensive sedentary livestock raising involving the processing of meat and dairy products has been developed.
Pastoral livestock raising is a sustainable industry using grass resources and requiring little or no input, whereas the tillage or dairy farming requires a form of agriculture. Hog raising and poultry farming require large amounts of operating funds for heating, water and fodder, and sophisticated management skills, including marketing and technology.
In the last year, 22 meat processing industries were monitored for the international hygiene standards and 18 of them were valued “AA” rate (license to export their processed meat and meat production under the country’s criteria) and three meat processing industries were valued “AAA” (met those industries operate with international hygiene standards and have the right to export their meat and meat production to international market)
The Mongolian meat processing industry consists of factories with their own slaughterhouses. These small businesses engaged activities ranging from the production of freshly cut meat to the production of sausages and canned meats.
There are about 5 large and 65 small meat and sausage producers operating today.  60 of these businesses are located in Ulaanbaatar.

Source:UB Post

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Maintaining Mongolian Culture

Students assimilate without losing their heritage.

By Montie Martin Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Mongolian students often learn English at accelerated rates, and their relatively small numbers — 172 students in the Arlington public schools — compound the possibility of losing their unique background. Consequently, Mongolian students must find ways to overcome those challenges and retain their cultural heritage.

"Mongolian students adapt very well, very quickly," said Francesca Reilly-McDonnell, with the Arlington Public School ESOL/HILT program and member of the Mongolian School board. "Because so much of popular culture is in English, music, movies, and TV, it is important to maintain their culture. That’s the purpose of the Mongolian School, to maintain language and culture."

The Mongolian School of the National Capital Area was established in 2007, and currently enrolls 65 students taught by volunteers in the Mongolian community.

Ariel Wyckoff, who served with the Peace Corps in Mongolia from 2000-2002, helped open the Mongolian School with his Mongolian wife as a way to engage the community in Arlington. "We teach 10- to 15-year-olds how to read and write in Mongolia, as well as traditional dancing and martial arts."

The Mongolian presence in Arlington marks only the most recent wave of immigration. Mongolian immigrants began arriving in 1949 to escape political and religious persecution during the communist period. Many of these immigrants established communities in Baltimore, Md., Vineland N.J. as well as Philadelphia, Pa.

In 1990 the communist government was replaced with a democratic system following a student-led revolution. As the borders opened, Mongolians followed the American dream to Arlington, where they believed a sound education could provide the best opportunities for their families.

"The Mongolian community in Virginia was attracted by the high quality of education," said Alicia Campi, president of the U.S.-Mongolia Advisory Group. "These are professionals, urban and sophisticated, not from the countryside."

Tsolmon Uranchimeg, a mortgage broker who came to Arlington five years ago, volunteers at the Mongolian School every Saturday as a dance instructor. "In Mongolia I was not interested in dancing, but then I saw the dance class and I thought it was worth a try."

Uranchimeg, who also hosts a Mongolian language TV show, practices a form of dance known as Bielgee. "Bielgee evokes the countryside lifestyle. It emphasizes flexibility with the upper body, it developed from dancing inside next to a fire."

Mongolians are also noted for their flexibility as language learners. Because of the uniqueness of the Mongolian language, they have traditionally been required to learn another language in order to communicate with the outside world. Russian was taught in class during the communist period, and many families remain tri-lingual.

"My parents speak Russian and Mongolian, in the house I speak Mongolian, out of the house I speak English," said Gwyneth Batdelger, a forth grader at Arlington Science Focus Elementary School.

"I’m teaching American kids Mongolian," said Ragcha Tumendemberu, who worked as a teacher in Mongolia for 10 years before arriving in Arlington. "Teaching in the U.S. is totally different, and so interesting."

While the Mongolian School helps maintain cultural heritage, Mongolian students face unique challenges in terms of assimilating to the public school system.

"The role of homework is almost non-existent in Mongolia. Even at the university level, homework is taught inside the class," said Campi. "You go home to be with family and friends, parents do not necessarily see the importance of homework."

The cultural divide presents a clear need for counselors who understand the language and cultural background of new arrivals.

"If you are five and can ride a horse long distances, consider what is standard for five year olds in the U.S." said Rielly-Donnell. "It would be so nice to have a counselor at the high school level, it’s a goal, but it’s not easy to find someone with the language and the certification."

"As with other cultures, a counselor is important for things related to social integration with the American system," said Campi. "The challenge is that other jobs are higher paying compared to teaching, many educated Mongolians go to the private sector and the pool of teachers is quickly drained."

Nonetheless, Mongolian students tend to succeed, especially in regards to world history, including a sense of pride in Genghis Khan. Although mentioning his name was forbidden during communist rule, today he evokes a sense of pride.

"When we learn about Genghis Kahn in world history I have to smile," said Enkhzaya Nyam-ochir, a sophomore at Yorktown High School. "It makes me proud to be Mongolian."

Source:http://www.connectionnewspapers.com

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Mongolia gives Prophecy green light to build new coal power station

TORONTO (miningweekly.com) – TORONTO (miningweekly.com) – Prophecy Coal, the junior that graduated to the TSX main board last month, received the green light from the Mongolian government to build its 600 MW Chandgana coal-fired power plant in the east of the country, the company said on Monday.

The licence was the first the government had issued for that size power plant, and sets the project up to become the first new privately owned coal-fired plant in the country when it starts sending out electricity in early 2016.

Mongolia is seen as vulnerable when it comes to fuel and power, as it is heavily reliant on neighbours China and Russia.

A dramatic rise in its mining sector is the main driver of a the countries rapidly increasing power consumption, with Energy International forecasting demand will be nearly double the country’s electricity supplies by 2015.

The International Monetary Fund predicted a 600 MW-plus shortfall in supply by 2016.

“There is an understanding among all stakeholders that Mongolia, being one of world's fastest growing economies, needs additional power,” Prophecy chairperson and CEOJohn Lee said in a statement.

The next steps for the company before it can bring the project into production include completing a feasibility study, which it anticipates by the end of the year, to be followed by a power purchase agreement in the first quarter of 2012.

Prophecy then hopes to conclude project financing negotiations in the third quarter of next year and start building the Chandgana power plant and the mine that will feed it in the first quarter of 2013.

The first 150 MW unit is planned to start producing power by January 2016.

Prophecy’s Chandgana Tal and Chandgana Khavtgai coal deposits will supply coal for the plant.

Chris Ackerman, a spokesperson for the company, said the capital costs for the power project were anticipated to be between $600-million and $800-million, though the feasibility study would provide firm estimates.

“There has been a lot of interest from some of the state owned companies in China and investment banks in the US” to provide funding for Chandgana, he said.

Last week, Ivanhoe Mines, which owns the giant Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold deposit in Mongolia said it hoped the Chinese and Mongolian governments would strike a deal for the former Soviet state to import power soon, so that it could connect the mine to Chinese power by the third quarter of next year.

The company has ordered more diesel generators to supply power while building Oyu Tolgoi, it said.

Ultimately, Prophecy aims to take advantage of surging power demand in the region, and build a second phase at Chandgana that will produce a further 3 600 MW.

In addition to the Chandgana project, Prophecy also owns the Ulaan Ovoo coal mine in the north of the country, where it plans to strike a deal to sell the coal to Russian customers.

Shares in the company were up nearly 2% on the TSX at C$0.54 each, making it one of the few counters in the green while the broader market had fallen 1.4% by 15:04.
 

Edited by: Creamer Media Reporter

Source:http://www.miningweekly.com

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Xanadu Mines to kick off drilling targeting metallurgical coal in Mongolia

Xanadu Mines (ASX: XAM) will shortly begin its much anticipated drilling at the highly prospective Javkhlant metallurgical coal exploration project in Mongolia.

The exploration is part of the company's strategic alliance withNoble Group (SGX: N21), Asia's largest diversified commodities trading company.

Javkhlant (JV earning up to 80%, Xanadu earning 40%) has the potential to a host a large premium coking and /or  thermal coal deposit of Permian and Carboniferous age in the South Gobi  basin, very close to the burgeoning energy and metals demand from China and nearby Asian markets.  

Importantly, the project is only 200 kilometres from the  Chinese rail network at Hami and reconnaissance explortion has identified numerous coal subcrops over a  strike of about 40 kilometres.

The company is up for the challenge of exploring the south western Gobi Altai Province of Mongolia, about 22 kilometres from the Burgastai border crossing point into China.

Brian Thornton, Xanadu’s chairman said “for the first time our drilling program will run right through the Mongolian winter, with results released progressively over the next three months.”

Under the terms of the agreement, the joint venture vehicle Ekhgoviin Chuluu LLC (EC) can earn up to 80% of the Javkhlant coal exploration licence by meeting various spending commitments over 2 years, including completion of a JORC Resource.

Through a thorough regional reconnaissance exploration program targeting coking coal over the last 18 months, Xanadu’s geologists recognised the potential of Javkhlant.

EC has contracted an reverse circulation drill rig to conduct a scout drill program of up to 4,000 metres at Javkhlant to test the numerous coal subcrops.

Xanadu listed on the ASX on 21 December 2010, following a raising of A$24 million, and currently has two thermal coal assets, Galshar and Khar Tarvaga.

The company is progressing exploration of its highly prospective suite of licences for coking and thermal coal, copper and gold in the south east Gobi, and copper at Sharchuluut.

Xanadu had a healthy A$22.4 million cash on hand at 30th September 2011.

Source:www.proactiveinvestors.com.a

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T. Khaltar: “Every day, Mongolian websites are hacked by the dozen”

Translated by B.BYAMBADORJ

The earliest cyber attack in Mongolia was reported in 1995, when a transportation company programmer sold vital information about his company to a rival company when he left his job. In 2000 an Internet service company lost all of its customers’ passwords to an unknown hacker and in 2004 an online conversation between students and presidential candidate N. Enkhbayar was disrupted when the server crashed due to a cyber attack. Since 2000, the main targets for hackers are the Mongolian Government, banks, and educational facilities. Today, cybercrime has grown ever so advanced and dangerous; and online fraud is taking its toll on the population. An interview of the Chief of Cyber Security Center T. Khaltar published in “Undesnii Shuudan” newspaper reveals more on this issue.

-We are living in the century of digital revolution. With information technology advancing every day, cyber crime is also developing with it. This type of crime is increasing in our country. Can you please inform the readers about some examples as a caution?
-Today, cyberspace crime is increasing worldwide. Following the introduction of the Internet, many types of cyber crime have entered our nation. There are many ways to deceive a person over the Internet. Many of the crimes take advantage of a person’s naive nature. For example, an online store claims that it is selling a $1,200 computer for half its price, and disappears after receiving payments from the victims. The customers’ gullibility is playing an important role here.
-A company CEO meets a foreign citizen through the Internet. The foreigner suggests investing in a certain company, with a $300 million benefit and they’ll share it 50/50. Later, the foreigner claims the investments have paid off, saying “The money transfer requires a fee of $30,000; and come meet me in Beijing.” Incredibly, the CEO believes him, paying the fee and flying to Beijing, where he waits for the man in a hotel room until he finally realizes he was deceived. This is just one of many examples. In another case, a woman seeking to marry a foreign citizen is contacted by a man who claims he is from Germany, and he requires $2,000 for her citizenship papers. This goes on for a while until she has paid a total of $25,000. Her suspicions lead to the authorities, and she filed a lawsuit when she was informed that a Mongolian man who impersonated a German citizen deceived her. Individual persons would find solutions to their problems via the authorities and media, but private organizations and banks would keep them a secret, for the sake of their reputation and also fearing loss of customers.
-In another incident, a megastore announced a massive sale but hackers attacked the store’s network system and changed a few values within minutes. The hackers’ associates bought a MNT 9 million product for MNT 999 that very day. The barcode is scanned and a price of MNT 999 shows up, what can the cashier do?
-It takes a lot of research and analysis and other additional work to catch cyber criminals. It’s like putting together shredded paper.
-It appears that governments and administrative bodies are always being attacked by cyber criminals. Are there such incidents lately? Are the measures being taken effective enough to protect from these attacks?
-Every day, Mongolian websites are hacked by the dozen. The Government website, even the Cabinet’s website has been hacked before; the hackers left messages and changed settings. Even right now, there are reports of public and private university websites under attack by hackers.
Government computers with top-security information are always off the network. But the administrative bodies are all connected with each other via network, and there many sensitive information on them that the officials themselves are not even aware of. Sending sensitive materials over email is extremely dangerous. Most of the government officials have Yahoo! addresses, and I regret to say that they are often used to transfer government-related files. No doubt the files are almost always intercepted by hackers. We may have the latest cyber technology, but definitely not the latest cyber security. There is a possibility of secret meetings being recorded via mobile phones or other gadgets; or even when a national-level strategy is being prepared on a computer, there is a possibility that the said document is already under someone’s else’s possession. Such dangerous circumstances are threatening us today.
-Foreigners are very much interested in our natural resources. Isn’t it easy for them to find locations of discovered deposits and its estimated reserves? In other words, secrets of Oyu Tolgoi and Tavantolgoi projects are out in the open, aren’t they?
-Yes, unfortunately. Everything is prepared and developed on a computer. Other countries have very advanced cyber security. China has developed its own unique operating system, and the United States has developed ciphering systems, which makes it hard for the hackers to interpret it. These are simple examples. But in Mongolia, we come for work on Monday and discover our computers have been vandalized over the weekend, we turn a blind eye and pray that there were IT students experimenting and practicing.
-Tell us more about then dangers of cyber crimes.
-Cyber crime can cause catastrophic consequences. One with Estonian hack attack, in retaliation for taking down a statue, hackers triggered a virtual invasion, causing the whole Estonian network to go offline. There was no Internet connection, every bank transaction was cancelled and there was no communication whatsoever. Also, a country can be invaded without difficulty if the defense is offline, since it is based solely on communication – this especially applies to Mongolia. Today, advanced armies all over the world have their own cyber soldiers, which execute these kinds of operations. This confirms that future wars will take place in cyberspace rather than on land or in air.
-Are there many cyber crime committing individuals and organizations in Mongolia?
-Currently it is not known. But about 30 percent of computers in Mongolia are “zombie computers,” in other words, they are in complete control and monitoring of another user. They take full advantage of this privilege, which includes stealing personal information, files and documents and manipulating email for deception. I’ve said before, and I’ll emphasize on it again: Identifying and catching hackers is definitely not a walk in the park.

Source:UB Post

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GE Taps Growth in Mongolia by Powering Nation’s First Wind Farm Project

ULAANBAATAR, MONGOLIA - November 17 2011 - GE (NYSE:GE) announced today it signed an agreement with Newcom LLC., (“Newcom”), one of the leading investment companies in Mongolia, to supply advanced technology wind turbines to power the country’s first wind farm. The $100 million project will be located 70 kilometers southeast of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia’s capital city, and is set to open in 2012. The entry into Mongolia is a strategic move by GE that recognizes the burgeoning demand for renewable energy in growing regions around the world - including Asia, Africa and Latin America. It highlights GE’s global growth strategy in one of Asia’s fastest growing and richest natural resource countries. Mongolia’s electricity demand is expected to double in the next 15 years. The GE turbines powering Salkhit Wind Farm will generate nearly 5% of Mongolia’s current electricity. GE’s involvement in the Salkhit Wind Farm project includes equipment supply and technical assistance in the installation and commissioning of the wind turbine generators for the generation of wind energy. GE was represented at the signing ceremony by Vice Chairman and CEO of GE’s Global Growth & Operations, John Rice. He was joined by Bayanjargal Byambasaikhan, CEO of Newcom. “Energy demand in Mongolia is increasing by 8-10% a year,” said Byambasaikhan. “Salkhit will help support Mongolia’s growing demand and also help facilitate further infrastructure development for railway, road and electrical infrastructure.” In 2005, Mongolia’s parliament approved the National Renewable Energy Program, which aims to increase the country’s renewable energy share to 20-25% by 2020. Mongolia’s current installed capacity is roughly 800 MW. “This is a milestone in the development of GE’s relationship with Mongolia and our teaming with Newcom. We are introducing advanced technology that paves the way for renewable energy projects and underscoring our commitment to grow in one of the most challenging yet fastest-growing emerging regions,” Mr Rice said. Mongolia is becoming one of the world’s fastest growing economies, registering the highest growth in the world at 17.3% by 1H 2011 year on year, according to the World Bank. Energy demand is expected to double by 2015. Salkhit Wind Farm will supply 168 million kW.h of clean power to the national grid each year. It will also cut CO2 emissions by 185,000 tons and preserve 1.6 million tons of fresh water annually. The event follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in September 2010 in which GE and Newcom agreed to explore alliances in key areas such as energy, water, mining, aviation, railway, lighting and healthcare. It follows the opening of GE’s representative office in Ulan Bator in May this year. Mongolia is home to some of the world’s largest coal and copper deposits and has vast wind energy potential. Located in northern Asia between China and Russia, Mongolia, about the size of Alaska, has a population of less than three million people. While the Mongolian government pushes its vast reserves of natural resources to help meet the demands of countries such as China, Japan, South Korea, and other growing Asian countries, it is also keen to explore renewable energy sources and cleaner technology to protect its environmental assets and support its growing population. The Salkhit Wind Farm will have an initial installed capacity of 50 MW and will feed into Mongolia’s Central Energy System. GE will supply 1.6 MW wind turbines that will have an 82.5 meter rotor and 80 meter hub height for IEC class IIa wind conditions. The advanced technology machine builds on the success and the global experience of GE’s 1.5 MW wind turbine, the industry’s most widely deployed megawatt-class machine with more than 17,000 installed worldwide. About GE GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com. GE also serves the energy sector by providing technology and service solutions that are based on a commitment to quality and innovation. The company continues to invest in new technology solutions and grow through strategic acquisitions to strengthen its local presence and better serve customers around the world. The businesses that comprise GE Energy - GE Power & Water, GE Energy Management and GE Oil & Gas—work together with more than 90,000 global employees and 2010 revenues of $38 billion, to provide integrated product and service solutions in all areas of the energy industry including coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear energy; renewable resources such as water, wind, solar and biogas; as well as other alternative fuels and new grid modernization technologies to meet 21st century energy needs. About Newcom Newcom is an investor committed to connecting people and bridging distances by bringing global expertise and innovation to Mongolia. The Newcom Group today employs about 2,200 people and has a diverse portfolio of investments across telecommunication, information technology, airline, financial services, renewable energy, real estate and mining services sectors. Tserenpuntsag Boldbaatar is co-founder and Chairman and Bayanjargal Byambasaikhan is Chief Executive Officer of Newcom. The company’s headquarters are in Ulan Bator, Mongolia. Newcom introduced cell phones to Mongolia in 1996 by investing and establishing Mobicom, the country’s premier mobile telecom operator. Newcom launched Eznis Airways in 2006. Eznis today is Mongolia’s leading private airliner flying passengers to all domestic destinations and a few cities in neighboring China and Russia. Newcom is also building Mongolia’s first wind farm which will be commissioned in 2012. For more information, please visit www.newcom.mn. Source: www.breakthroughpr.mn /Bayaraa/

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Halin is flying high

Halin's voice sounds like "something between heaven and Earth". ZouHong / China Daily

Known as the "Mongolia Enya" and a real-life princess, the singer is about to make her debuton the Beijing stage. Chen Nan reports.

Singer Halin recalls a spring day school outing when she was 6 in her hometown of Ejina, in theInner Mongolia autonomous region. A nomad passed by, bowed and addressed her as "dearprincess" -startling her classmates. She is from one of the four major subgroups of the FourQirats of Mongolia, and her mother's father was prince of the 13th generation of the Torghutclan.

The clan moved west to Volga in 1630 after the Four Qirat Alliance collapsed and returned toMongolia in 1771.

The group of about 300,000 people and 6 million animals suffered from raids and starvation,and was reduced to just 85,000 survivors after eight months, before settling near the Ejin River.

"I have been called 'princess' since I was born," says Halin, whose name in Mongolian means"flying high".

"My mother told me never to forget my identity. It's my faith," the 27-year-old, who now lives inBeijing, says.

"I grew up with the family legends and received a lot of respect because of my blood line.Though the times have changed and we live ordinary lives now, the spirit of our family stillremains."

When she was growing up there was no TV or otherdistractions, she says, just folksongs and storiesabout her family and clan. She adds that her grandmawould sing when she cooked, sewed or worked in thegarden and this inspired her to sing, too.

Halin believes her family history as a Torghutdescendant helped mold her distinctive voice andstage presence.

"My vocal range is wide because I sang and shoutedeveryday. I can easily hit the high and low notes."

Known as the "Mongolia Enya", Halin will hold her firstconcerts in Beijing on Nov 25 and Nov 26 at CenturyTheater.

She has an exotic appearance and wears a mishmash of self-designed ethnic clothing, banglesand feather earrings.

She typically sings century-old Mongolian folk songs that express her love of her hometown.

She learned Mandarin at 6 and became a soldier at 13, following her parents' bidding becausethey wanted her to be an independent and confident person. She continued her studies atMinzu University of China when she was 16.

She recorded her first song at age 16. The four albums she produced before 2007 were all inMongolian. Her 2011 album is the first on which she sings in Mandarin.

"A friend of mine told me lots of bars in Lijiang, Yunnan province, play my songs. I wassurprised to hear my music has traveled so far," she says. "It makes me believe good music willalways be recognized."

Her friend, actress Wulan Qiqige, grew up with Halin in Ejina and is a loyal fan.

"She usually writes lyrics and reads them to me, which vividly reminds me of our hometown," the26-year-old actress says

"We live in Beijing and listen to all sorts of music. I also like Jay Chou, but I believe Halin'ssongs will last."

Halin's parents were not keen, initially, about her becoming a singer, partly because of herlineage and also because they wanted her to have a stable life like her younger sister, agovernment officer.

"But I think that singing about my hometown is a way of spreading Mongolian culture. And sinceI am a princess, I have a responsibility to do this."

In her songs, she advocates protection of the grasslands, portrays the beauty of the rivers andmountain and tells of her childhood.

For her upcoming Beijing concerts, Halin willperform with Altan Urag, a Mongolian folkband formed in 2002 that combinestraditional Mongolian and contemporaryinfluences. Their music was used as abacking track for such movies as 2006'sKhadak and the 2007 epic Mongol.

"I want audiences to experience genuineMongolian music that comes from our hearts," Halin says.

Composer Qin Wanming has been Halin's producer since her debut album and was responsiblefor naming the two concerts "Mongolian Princess".

"We had several options, but I think this one is best. It defines the singer," Qin says.

"Her voice sounds like something between heaven and Earth. I can feel the belief, love andyearning she expresses. It's like the Torghut's return to the east, an epic that cannot to beduplicated."

(China Daily 11/18/2011 page20

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Mongolia Today

Is Mongolia the next Dubai, the Road to Nowhere, or a segment of the New Silk Road?   Vladimir Putin, Wen Jaibao, and Hillary Clinton follow in the footsteps of Genghis Khan.

 

Mongolia achieved great recognition during the time of Genghis Khan.  He was born a slave, endured a violent childhood; and ultimately changed world history; becoming the leader of a Eurasian Mongol Empire.  Millions of people were subjugated to his 13^th Century rule; which spanned from the Yellow Sea to the Caspian Sea including what is today China, the Middle East, and Europe. 

 

 

Genghis Khan.

 

Kahn’s looks were antithetical to the handsome Omar Sharif who starred in the 1965 movie, Genghis Khan. However, his skills as a ruthless warrior and outstanding administrator enabled his dynasty to continue for 150 years after his death.  With many wives and countless children, his empire spread the length and breadth of the ancient silk routes.  Trade included spices, teas, porcelain, ivory, textiles, precious stones, pepper, gold, silver, wine, carpets and jewels.  When Mongol rule ended, so did the Silk Road trade.

 

Ancient Silk Routes are being resurrected. Last week Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao held talks in Saint Petersburg to support a new “Silk Road”.  It was a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) which China formed in 2001 with “The Gang of Five”; Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.   Prime Minister of Pakistan, Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, attended at the personal invitation of Putin.  Their goal is to expand economic opportunity.  This requires international transportation such as railway, roads, and air transport; for a new “Silk Road” between Europe and the Asian-Pacific Region.   Recently Mongolia, Pakistan, India, and Iran were granted Observer Status; a United States application for membership was rejected. 

 

Today’s Mongolia is land locked between Russia and China, with a population of just over 3 million people.  Herding and agriculture have been main features of the economy.  There are vast landscapes of the Gobi Desert, snowcapped mountains of Bayan-Olgi, sparkling lakes and rivers, Buddhist temples, wild horses and camels.  Nomads live in transportable felt walled gers.  Cities, such as the capital of Ulaan Baatar, are smog choked.   Arctic blasts sweep across lakes and rivers which freeze and are only navigable in the short summer.  Less than 15% of the roads are paved. 

 

Current speculation is that tiny Mongolia might become the next Dubai.  International investment capital is vying for placement in untapped precious metalsand mineral resources. For example, Ivanhoe Mines of Mongolia has mineral deposits of $1 trillion in the Oyu Tolgoi Copper Mine.  Mongolia has the world’s largest coking coal deposit, Tavan Tolgoi.  Coking coal is a vital component in the steel industry.  It appears that a public offering may be pending after contract Parliamentary renegotiations with the mine in the South Gobi Desert.  Mongolia would retain 51% of mining rights.  London, Hong Kong, and NASDAQ are competing for the listing which could be over $7 billion.  If estimates are correct, it will generate $5 billion per year for the next 50 years.   Mongolia also has large reserves of uranium which will be extracted by new liquefaction techniques. 

 

China, South Korea, Brazil, India, and the USA have all submitted competitive bids for rights in the Tavan Tolgoi mine.  Russia and China have proposed building a new railway to transport the valuable mining assets.  Currently there is no railway that can handle the anticipated tonnage.  A key factor in Mongolia’s decision process is whether the proposed railroad will go from the South Gobi to the Russian border or to the Chinese border. 

 

Russia has leverage with President Tsakhia Elbegdorj and Prime Minister Sukhbaatar Batbold.  Russia already owns 50% of the state railway.  Russia has written off all but $300 million of Mongolia’s debts.  Mongolia depends on Russia for fuel.  Russia is not above arm twisting for results, and has shortened supply and raised duties using energy policy to coerce political concessions. 

 

Secretary of State Clinton brought up a new “Silk Road” plan  in October, 2011  Her plan envisions Turkmen gas fields, meeting Pakistan and India’s energy needs.  Clinton’s plan dovetails with the American plan to lessen the ties these countries have with Russia.  Her plan currently has no specifics, but entails new infrastructure such as railroads, highways, pipelines, and free trade agreements.  Similar projects were discussed in the past; but did not come to fruition. 

 

Whether we have the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s Silk Road or the US State Department’s Silk Road or both; it would appear that the silk road of ancient times will again have a dynamic influence on world trade. 

 

 

Family Security Matters Contributor Darlene Casella was, before her retirement, an English teacher, a stockbroker, and president/owner of a small corporation. She lives with her husband in La Quinta, California, and can be reached atthedeadseawest@aol.com.

 

Source:http://www.familysecuritymatters.org

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