Mongolia’s Soft Power Tools in Relation to Russian Regions at the Beginning of the 21st Century

Abstract

This article discusses the features of international relations in Inner Asia through the prism of the Russian-Mongolian relationship. The specifics of contemporary bilateral relationships is determined by the nature of mutual influence in the economic, political and humanitarian spheres. The aim of this research is to analyze Mongolian implementation of the concept of ‘soft power’ in relation to the regions of Russia, which are culturally and historically defined as a ‘Mongolian world’. It was revealed that the foreign policy of Mongolia in relation to Russian regions such as the Republic of Buryatia, Republic of Tuva, Irkutsk and Trans-Baikal regions is being implemented in several directions. The first one is daily trade and economic contacts between Russian and Mongolian citizens. The second direction is represented by ethno-cultural holidays and festivals, within the framework of which the Mongolian language and traditions are promoted. The existing demand for the preservation and development of national cultures and languages of the indigenous peoples of Russia creates conditions for stimulating interest in all Mongolian language, literature, clothing, cuisine, cultural and sports events. Finally, Mongolia's success in fighting the pandemic during 2020 and its humanitarian assistance to the Russian regions affected by Coronavirus are also tools of ‘soft power’. The result of this policy is the spread of Mongolian influence in the border regions of the Russian Federation. In this regard, Moscow should also pay certain attention to these processes when building a strategy of bilateral relations at state level.