China-Mongolia Expo: Hohhot's decade-long opening-up

The fifth China-Mongolia Expo opened on Aug 25 in Hohhot, the capital of North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, marking a decade since the inaugural event in 2015. Over the past 10 years, the expo has grown into a vital platform for economic and trade cooperation between China and Mongolia, while also catalyzing Hohhot's wider opening-up.

China and Mongolia jointly proposed the China-Mongolia Expo in 2014. This initiative has since become a key driver in advancing the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and in building the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor.

Hohhot has transformed into an "opening-up hub" for Russia, Mongolia, and Europe, serving as the permanent host city for the expo. In 2024, Hohhot's trade with BRI partner countries reached 14.19 billion yuan ($2.68 billion), up 34 percent year-on-year and accounting for 62.6 percent of the city's total foreign trade.

Hohhot has also established economic ties with more than 160 countries and regions worldwide, with exports to Mongolia and Russia representing 18.7 percent and 12.3 percent of the city's total exports, respectively, making it a key driver of China's trade with its northern neighbors.

The fourth China-Mongolia Expo in 2023 attracted over 10,000 participants, including government officials, entrepreneurs, and investors. More than 200 projects were signed, with agreements worth 385.3 billion yuan, underscoring Hohhot's transformation from a landlocked city into an international gateway.

This year's expo has been extended to seven days, featuring specialized exhibition halls that showcase breakthroughs in new energy, modern coal chemistry, and other sectors, alongside targeted matchmaking events such as the China-Mongolia Mining Cooperation Forum.

Hohhot is set to embrace an even deeper level of international openness in the next decade with projects such as the Shengle International Airport, expansion of China-Europe freight train routes, and the upgrade of its cross-border e-commerce pilot zone.