At the conclusion of the conference, a Letter of Intent (LOI) was signed by the Tyva Republic Government and Northern Railways which noted that the Northern Rail Corridor from Tianjin\Beijing through Erdenet and Ovoot in Mongolia and reaching north to Kyzyl and Kuragino is in the interests of both Northern Railways and the Tyva Republic Government. The LOI included an agreement to share data and work together to see this Northern Corridor realised.
The Northern Rail Corridor extends from Tianjin Port on China’s North East Coast through Beijing, Ulaanbaatar, Erdenet, Ovoot, Arts Suuri, Kyzyl to Kuragino, where it connects to the existing TransSiberian Rail system. Rail currently exists between Tianjin and Erdenet. Erdenet to Ovoot is the subject of a Rail Concession with Aspire’s subsidiary, Northern Railways. The Concession for the Kyzyl to Kuragino section of this Corridor has now been agreed. Discussions between Mongolia and Russia are continuing in relation to the remaining connection between Ovoot to Kyzyl.
The new Northern Rail Corridor will provide a new competitive rail connection between North East China and Europe through Mongolia and Russia to support China’s One Belt One Road initiative.
