GEOGRAPHICAL STRUCTURE OF FOREIGN TRADE OF MONGOLIA: INTRACONTINENTALITY, BORDERCROSSES AND FEATURES OF LOGISTICS

Foreign trade is one of the phenomena most susceptible to the so-called spatial friction effect. This article provides an overview of the geographical structure of Mongolia’s exports and imports by remoteness zones, demonstrating the critical influence of its landlocked position. Examining the distribution of imports and exports, considering the degree of product processing, reveals that finished products have a more dispersed distribution across remoteness zones. In contrast, raw materials are primarily directed to the nearest zone. The article presents statistics on product transportability, understood as the price per unit weight, and its distribution by remoteness zones at border crossing points. It concludes that the most valuable cargo passes through border points with Russia, while raw materials with low transportability, primarily coal and copper, are transported through the Mongolian-Chinese points of Gashuunsukhait and Zamyn-Uud, mainly to the nearest zone. Field studies have revealed the specifics of logistics schemes for coal delivery to China from the Tavan Tolgoi deposit. These involve delivery by road trains or by rail in containers, which simplifies the transshipment process and mitigates the barrier factor of the difference in railway gauge between Mongolia and China. In the copper mining industry, Russia and Mongolia are entering into competition through the parallel development of their largest copper-gold reserves. To diversify Mongolia’s foreign trade and reduce its economic dependence on China, it is necessary to increase the processing of raw material exports into finished products, which can be achieved with the help of Russian high-tech companies.

1. Balzhinnyam D., Yakobson A. Ya., 2009. Economic-geographical potential of Mongolian-Russian relations / Ed. L. M. Koryniy. Irkutsk. 175 p. (In Russ.)

2. Bezrukov L. A., Fartyshev A. N., 2022a. Features of Mongolian Foreign Trade: Risks for Russia // World Economy and International Relations. Vol. 66. No. 3. Pp. 101–109. DOI: 10.20542/0131-2227-2022-66-3-101-109. (In Russ.)

3. Bezrukov L. A., Fartyshev A. N., 2022b. Development of copper industry in Russia and Mongolia: the problem of access to foreign markets // EKO. Vol. 52. No. 6. Pp. 115–133. DOI: 10.30680/ECO0131-7652-2022-6-115-133. (In Russ.)

4. Goryachev N. N., 2021. Chinese Mining Companies in Peru: Is There a Single Cause of Problems? // Russian-Chinese Researches. Vol. 5. No. 3. Pp. 141–150. DOI: 10.17150/2587-7445.2021.5(3). (In Russ.)

5. Dyomina Y. V., 2018. Foreign Economic Relations of Mongolia: Changing a Key Partner // World Economy and International Relations. Vol. 62. No. 8. Pp. 104–109. DOI: 10.20542/0131-2227-2018-62-8-104-109. (In Russ.)

6. Egorov V. G., Belonogova A. A., 2024. Russian-Mongolian relations: a new stage // Geoeconomics of Energetics. No. 1. Pp. 61–79. DOI: 10.48137/26870703_2024_25_1_61. (In Russ.)

7. Mihranyan A. A., Dinets D. A., 2023. Vectors of Russian-Mongolian cooperation // Geoeconomics of Energetics. No. 4. Pp. 55–76. DOI: 10.48137/26870703_2023_24_4_55. (In Russ.)

8. Rodionov V. A., 2022. Soft Power of Small States: A Case Study of Mongolia // Oriental Studies. No. 2. Pp. 228–243. DOI: 10.22162/2619-0990-2021-60-2-228-243. (In Russ.)

9. Kharitonova D. V., 2022. Mongolia’s Energy Policy and Cooperation with Russia // Geoeconomics of Energetics. Vol. 2. Pp. 62–79. DOI: 10.48137/26870703_2022_18_2_62. (In Russ.)

10. Yakushev R., 2010. Mongolia in modern system of international relations // World Economy and International Relations. Vol. 8. No 8. Pp. 109–115. DOI: 10.20542/01312227-2010-8-109-115. (In Russ.)

11. Bezrukov L. A., Fartyshev A. N., Altanbagana M., 2023. Mongolia’s Foreign Trade: Relationship between the Transportability of Products and Distance to Target Markets // Geography and Natural Resources. Vol. 44. No. 1. Pp. S30–S34. DOI: 10.1134/s1875372823050037. (In Eng.)

12. Dondokov Z. B. D., Namzhilova V. O., 2023. China – Mongolia – Russia Economic Corridor: Building Infrastructure Connectivity in the Face of Global Challenges // Regional Research of Russia. Vol. 13. No. 3. Pp. 568–576. DOI: 10.1134/S2079970523700806. (In Eng.)

13. Faye M. L., McArthur J. W., Sachs J. D., Snow, T., 2004. The Challenges Facing Landlocked Developing Countries // Journal of Human Development. Vol. 5. No. 1. Pp. 31–68. DOI: 10.1080/14649880310001660201. (In Eng.)

14. Gankhuyag U., Myagmarsuren A., Altankhuyag B., 2021. Spatial Analysis of Road Network in Mongolia // Proceedings of the Environmental Science and Technology International Conference (ESTIC 2021). No. 206. DOI: 10.2991/aer.k.211029.026. (In Eng.)

15. Hong S., 2022. Mediation and Mongolia’s foreign policy // The Pacific Review. Vol. 35. No. 4. Pp. 765–788. DOI: 10.1080/09512748.2021.1924240. (In Eng.)

16. Rodrigue J. P., Comtois C., Slack B., 2016. The geography of transport systems. Taylor and Francis. 440 p. (In Eng.).

17. Thurow L. C., 1996. The future of capitalism: how today’s economic forces shape tomorrow’s world: W. Morrow. 385 p. (In Eng.)