A grassland fire in Mongolia has raised fresh concerns in China, underscoring the recurring risk of cross-border environmental hazards.
This is not the first time an environmental disaster originating in Mongolia has threatened to cross the 4,700km (2,920-mile) border into China, with the impacts sometimes also affecting the Korean peninsula and Japan.
The blaze, which erupted on October 8 in the inland country’s easternmost Dornod province bordering Russia and China, advanced rapidly towards China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region, driven by strong autumn winds and drought conditions.
China’s consulate general in Zamyn-Uud expressed Beijing’s concern over the steppe fire in a meeting with the province on Tuesday, urging timely updates and intensified firefighting operations. China was ready to support the rescue efforts, he said.