Tomsk Oblast - Mongolia: a growing cooperation

There is no doubt that business relations are developing most successfully with those countries with which we have a mutual interest: economic, geopolitical, defence, etc. However, other factors are no less important, such as historically developed cultural, educational, scientific and technical ties, good-neighbourly and simply human relations.

Text: Artem Sibiryakov

There is no doubt that business relations are developing most successfully with those countries with which we have a mutual interest: economic, geopolitical, defence, etc. However, other factors are no less important, such as historically developed cultural, educational, scientific and technical ties, good-neighbourly and simply human relations.

A COUNTRY WHERE THEY SPEAK RUSSIAN

One of the most historically close countries for Russia is Mongolia, which preserved the memory of its fraternal relations with the Soviet Union. Society, business, and the country's leadership are positively inclined towards Russia. Although Mongolia has never been a part of the USSR, many people speak Russian in it, since they have received higher education in our country. For example, back in Soviet times, thousands of citizens of Mongolia graduated from Tomsk universities, and today hundreds of Mongolian students study in them.

Tomsk region is actively building up cooperation with this country. In 2018, our exports to Mongolia grew by more than 70 per cent compared to the previous one. Mongolia was in tenth place in terms of exports of Tomsk products in 2017, and by the end of 2018, it was already the sixth. It is noteworthy that our region does not supply raw materials to this country, but mainly industrial, high-tech products.

MISSION AFTER MISSION

Over the past few years, the Tomsk Chamber of Commerce, as part of the regional entrepreneurship development program, has organized the sixth business mission to Mongolia for small and medium-sized enterprises in the region - in mid-September, Tomsk entrepreneurs participated in the annual international exhibition “UlaanBaatar Partnership 2019” (Ulaanbaatar), which was organized by the National Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Mongolia. Five small and medium-sized businesses took part in the collective exposition of the Tomsk Region, including K Group LLC (TM Severskkabel), Planar Technologies LLC (Mikran Group of Companies), Siberian Fiber LLC and others.

It was already the 44th exhibition of the Ulaanbaatar Partnership, in which business delegations from the regions of Russia, China, South Korea, the Republic of Belarus, Poland and other countries also participated.

WORK ISN’T LIMITED TO THE EXHIBITION

omsk enterprises presented cable-conduction, telecommunications and lighting products, medical equipment, healthy food, security solutions, etc. Tomsk entrepreneurs discussed opportunities for cooperation with representatives of more than 50 Mongolian enterprises during the exhibition.

Why were Tomsk residents interested in the Ulan Bator Partnership exhibition, despite there being many events of this kind in the world?

 "When forming a plan for a trip to a country, we always investigate requests from Tomsk companies and foreign enterprises of said country. The participants of the business trip, in turn, before the visit carefully studied the Mongolian market, which is now developing very rapidly,” explains Ksenia Slizovskaya, representative of the Tomsk CCI. "During the visit, we were able to verify this with our own eyes. Ulan Bator is actively building, residential buildings, administrative centres, and industrial enterprises are being erected. Therefore, the products that Tomsk companies presented are in great demand in Mongolia today. And they were interested in both large enterprises and distributors, and small and medium-sized businesses, and even individual entrepreneurs. Tomsk citizens positively evaluate their participation in the exhibition. For example, the company “Planar Technologies” (representing NPF “Mikran”), held productive negotiations with local mobile operators “G-mobile” and “UNITEL”, now the parties are working on commercial offers. K-Group (TM Severskkabel) reached an agreement with the Mongolian companies BBTE, BAR LUU HHK, TOD GEGEE HHK, NOMIN. Siberian Fiber Company’s healthy food products aroused interest in Mongolia’s largest pharmacy chain, Mongol EM IMPEX CONCERN HHK.

IN LINE WITH THE GOVERNMENT POLICY

According to the head of the business council for cooperation between Mongolia and Russia Oyuntegsh Enabish, “it is noticeable that Tomsk enterprises aim towards cooperation with Mongolian business.

Both during previous visits and today it is clear that Mongolian enterprises are seriously interested in Tomsk developments and products. I hope that the business of our countries will succeed in reaching mutually beneficial agreements during the exhibition. ” During the official opening ceremony at the exhibition, the Tomsk booth was visited by the trade representative of Russia in Mongolia Maxim Vasiliev, who noted our region's activity in entering the Mongolian market and wished Tomsk entrepreneurs success.

We emphasize that on the eve of the exhibition, on September 3 of this year, an event of historical importance took place in the field of Russian-Mongolian relations. Vladimir Putin and the Mongolian leader Haltmaagiin Battulga signed a new Treaty on Friendship and Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the Russian Federation and Mongolia, which replaced the 1993 document, and is open-ended.

"I note that the positions of Russia and Mongolia on topical regional and international problems coincide or are close. Our countries coordinate actions on multilateral platforms, and above all in the UN, ”Vladimir Putin said at the ceremony of signing the agreement.

Russian business must be in the wake of state policy to develop economic cooperation with Mongolia. And Tomsk entrepreneurs are at the forefront of this process.

The participation of Tomsk small and medium-sized enterprises in the Ulaan Baatar Partnership 2019 exhibition was organized by the Tomsk Chamber of Commerce and Industry with the assistance of the Business Development Fund, the regional department for the development of innovative and entrepreneurial activities and the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia as part of a national project for the development of small and medium-sized businesses.

QUOTES

Oleg Kasperovich, LLC “K-Group”.

"The Mongolian market is of interest to our company. During the exhibition, we managed to conduct a dozen and a half meetings and negotiations with interested Mongolian companies. Our products aroused interest among potential partners. Negotiations and discussion of specific conditions for further cooperation with the Mongolian side will be continued by us shortly."

 

Alexey Yakimov, «Planarnyye tekhnologii» LLC.

"Our company’s participation in the Ulaanbaatar Partnership exhibition brought concrete results. In the coming days, we will sign an agreement on the supply of our equipment to the Mongolian national mobile operators. We are also preparing documents and commercial proposals for the tender for equipment supply. The business trip of the Tomsk delegation was held at the highest level. «Planarnyye tekhnologii»  is not participating in business missions organized by the Tomsk CCI for the first time. The Chamber arranged meetings with potential partners, organized negotiations, presentations, visits to enterprises and organizations. Everything was done "perfectly". "