In the 13th century, Chinggis Khan united the Mongolian people and conquered a global empire.  Today Mongolia is a landlocked nation between China and Russia, and chose independence nearly two decades ago.  The shift from Communism to democracy and market economy has been accompanied by difficulty.  For the nearly 3 million Mongolians, the question of national survival is critical.  China has already absorbed Inner Mongolia, and her thriving economy might overpower Mongolia in the future. For the present, China's concerns over territorial sovereignty focus on Taiwan.  But if and when Taiwan is reunited with the mainland, it is likely that Beijing will give greater attention to China's inner Asian frontiers, including Mongolia.

Dr. Bedeski earned his M.A. in Asian Studies and his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of California at Berkeley and is Professor Emeritus, Department of Political Science, University of Victoria. He has lived and traveled throughout East Asia and is the author of numerous books and journal articles. Professor Bedeski is also a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Security and Development Policy in Stockholm, a Member of the Board of Directors of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, and a Program Professor Emeritus in Human Security and Peace in the Asia-Pacific Region at the Centre for Asia-Pacific Initiatives (CAPI). He also serves as an Honorary Professor at the University of British Columbia, Institute for Asian Research and is an editorial adviser to the Mongolian Journal of International Affairs.