Politics of Dust Storms Between China and Mongolia

Yellow dust storms are a frequent phenomenon across Northeast Asia in the spring. China has often been blamed by neighbouring countries as the source of the yellow dust and has, over several decades, developed various forms of anti-desertification expertise in an attempt to control the fragile ecologies of its arid northwestern regions. However, in recent years China has increasingly sought to locate the origins of the dust storms across the border in Mongolia. Projects of scientific collaboration between the two countries have been initiated, as China seeks to promote itself as a global leader in desertification prevention. This article shows how Mongolia's relations with its neighbours are mediated by environmental issues such as dust storms. It analyses the nationalism and eco-irridentism evident in popular representations of Mongolia in contemporary China, and contrasts these with the language of friendship and collaboration adopted at the state level. However, we suggest some reasons why China's anti-desertification expertise, particularly in the form of large-scale afforestation projects, might not be suited to the Mongolian context. Instead, we propose that the meat and livestock trade from Mongolia to China might be usefully framed in the light of dust storm friendship, thereby potentially benefitting Mongolia's herders.