Swimming with the Whales

Inflection Points in Mongolia’s ‘Third Neighbour’ Foreign Policy

Bibliographic Data

ID12349474
AuthorsJaehyuk Jang (0000-0001-5810-1611, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies), Kisun Kim (Hankuk University of Foreign Studies), Ki-Sun Kim (Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, corresponding author)
Year2024
Volume48
Issue4
Pages809-827
Publication date2024-03-17
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAsian Studies Review (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1035-7823 • E-ISSN: 1467-8403
PublisherRoutledge (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/10357823.2024.2322436
OpenAlexW4392891513
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited17

When it became a democracy in the early 1990s, Mongolia began to embrace a multi-pillared foreign policy known as the 'third neighbour' policy, whereby it regarded the United States and other democracies as its 'third neighbour' that balances the influence of its powerful immediate neighbours, Russia and China. Thereafter, four major inflection points have emerged in the development process of the 'third neighbour' policy, all in response to changes in Mongolia's external environment, particularly as it relates to China and Russia. The first inflection point was Mongolia's move away from a diplomatic culture centred on Russia to one that is more globalised. The second was Mongolia's effort to reduce China's economic influence. The third inflection point was a response to increased China–Russia strategic cooperation after Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014, and the fourth began only recently and is still taking shape. We have tentatively identified this fourth phase as one of impermanent neutrality

Annexation · China · Democracy · Economics · Economy · Foreign policy · Geography · Inflection point · Neutrality · Political science · Politics · Arctic and Russian Policy Studies · International Development and Aid · Island Studies and Pacific Affairs · Law

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