With an Eye on China, Russia and a Horse, Pentagon Chief Visits Mongolia

With an Eye on China, Russia and a Horse, Pentagon Chief Visits Mongolia
U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper is gifted a horse in Ulan Bator, Mongolia on Aug. 8, 2019. Idrees Ali/Reuters
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ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia —U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper met senior Mongolian leaders on Aug. 8 in a rare visit to the strategically important nation as the Pentagon seeks to implement its strategy of focusing on countering China and Russia.

On a map, Mongolia, locked between Russia and China, best represents the Pentagon’s priorities over the coming decades.