Ulaan Baatar (AFP): US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Mongolia on Thursday, marking the end of a 10-day visit of Asia, welcoming improving ties with the landlocked democracy sandwiched between autocratic heavyweights China and Russia.

His lengthy journey, which also included visits to Southeast Asia and Japan, was intended to hammer home US support for friends and offset China’s influence in the area, even though Washington claims it is not pursuing a containment policy against Beijing.

According to Washington, during a meeting in the Laos capital Vientiane at the end of last week, Blinken discussed the subject with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in “frank and productive” conversations.

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