A signing ceremony is held at the 2025 Think Tank Forum on Important Bridgeheads for China's Northward Opening-up. [Photo/North News]

From Aug 25 to 29, the Fifth China-Mongolia Expo was held in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, offering a wide range of events and activities.

More than 1,500 enterprises from Mongolia, Russia and other countries across Asia, Europe, Africa, and South America gathered for the occasion.

The expo featured an exhibition area of 44,000 square meters, with pavilions showcasing Inner Mongolia, Mongolia, Hainan province (the guest of honor), as well as products from 16 countries, 11 Chinese provinces, various industries, and local regions of Inner Mongolia.

On Aug 25, the Third National Forum on Opening to the North opened under the theme "Opening to the North, Connecting the Future". At the forum, the Overall Plan for the Joint Development of the China-Mongolia Ereenhot-Zamyn-Uud Economic Cooperation Zone was released, and 21 key projects were signed, with a total investment of 65.3 billion yuan.

These focused on cross-border trade in services, the development of mineral resources, and cooperation in new energy technologies, including a Tea Road service trade platform and a used car export project to Russia.

On Aug 26, the China (Inner Mongolia)–Russia Investment and Trade Promotion Conference was held, resulting in six agreements worth 501 million yuan, spanning natural gas, agricultural trade, cross-border logistics, and farming. The event also combined investment environment briefings and project roadshows to provide enterprises with comprehensive policy and market insights.

That same day, the 2025 Think Tank Forum on Important Bridgeheads for China's Northward Opening-up took place. Diplomats, government officials, and experts from multiple countries discussed topics including opening-up, new energy, agri-livestock products, desertification control, and emerging industries. Participants reaffirmed their commitment to advancing the Belt and Road Initiative and the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor, promoting high-level opening-up and high-quality development.