Does Mongolia’s satcom surge signal freedom from China and Russia?

This year Mongolia made two moves that will bring satellite connectivity to the landlocked country and could signal the beginning of sovereign communications unimpeded by authoritarian neighbors. Mongolia is a large country of 3 million people sandwiched between China and Russia. From a telecommunications standpoint, network security could not be more challenging. All of the country’s fiber enters through those neighbors, meaning internet access is essentially controlled beyond its borders. This is what makes Mongolia’s recent overtures to space powers the United States and France so interesting.  

• U.S. bringing Starlink. In July, Mongolia's Communications Regulatory Commission authorized Starlink to provide satellite internet in the country, noting that the service will “provide greater access to hard-to-reach areas of the country.” The approval was foreshadowed by the U.S. ambassador to Mongolia, Richard Buangan, who in a June speech, said “Mongolia and the United States are working together to bring infrastructure options not bound by cables or wires to urban and rural Mongolia. These new digital infrastructures—vast satellite networks, for example—are democratic in nature, offering access to all in the fullest sense.” Unsurprisingly, Starlink's authorization drew criticism from within China as a threat to the country’s “Great Firewall.”  

• France bringing a GEO satellite. Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh visited France this month on a four-day trip that included purchasing a Ku-band GEO satellite from Franco-Italian manufacturer Thales Alenia Space. The 10 Gbps satellite, named Chinggis Sat after Mongolia’s national hero Chinggis Khan, provides another method of establishing sovereign communications. Paperwork for the satellite is expected to be finalized in November. The deal follows the first-ever visit by a French president this May, when Emmanuel Macron travelled to the capitol city of Ulaanbaatar.  

Why it matters:  

Mongolia had considered a national satellite program with Japan’s KDDI Foundation in 2012, but the program fizzled out. Since then, Mongolia’s online activity has surged, with 84% of its population online compared to just 12% at the time of the Japanese satellite inquiry. The need for connectivity is much stronger now.  

Satellites can be important tools for reinforcing national sovereignty, with Mongolia representing an especially compelling case. Geographically huge but politically small, Mongolia has no option but to play nice with its neighbors, who surely have offered to supply satellites of their own. China buys around 90% of Mongolia’s exports, and continues to promote trilateral cooperation between Russia, Mongolia and China. Days after his visit to France, Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh was shaking hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. As the old saying goes, you can’t chose your neighbors. 

Mongolia calls China and Russia its “eternal neighbors,” but has been looking for a metaphorical “third neighbor” to promote economic freedom and further other sovereign goals. Traction by the U.S. and France in Mongolia will be closely watched as these countries could fill that role. And, with greater internet access, Mongolia could increase its connectivity with the rest of the world, evolving from a regional player to a global actor. 

SOURCE: https://thediplomat.com/2023/07/mongolia-signs-agreement-with-spacex-to-utilize-starlink/