H.E. Ms. Battsetseg Batmunkh, Foreign Minister of Mongolia

Ms. Battsetseg Batmunkh graduated the National University of Mongolia with Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations. Also, she graduated with Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration at the Institute of Finance and Economics in Mongolia and Master’s Degree in Business Administration in Maastricht School of Management in the Netherlands. Ms. Battsetseg Batmunkh worked as Vice Minister of the Foreign Affairs of Mongolia between 2016-2020, and has been currently working as the Minister of the Foreign Affairs of Mongolia since January 2021. She speaks English and Russian.

Mr. Ankhbayar Nyamdorj, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia

Mr. Ankhbayar Nyamdorj graduated the School of Law at the National University of Mongolia with Bachelor’s Degree in Legal Studies and later graduated the Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand with Master of Laws (LLM), specializing in law and legal affairs. Mr. Ankhbayar Nyamdorj worked as part of the Assistant Staff of the Secretariat Office of Parliament and has been working at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia since 2007 as an officer, attaché, Deputy Director-General and Director-General. Mr. Ankhbayar Nyamdorj has been working as the State Secretary of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia since July 2020.

Dr. Mendee Jargalsaikhan Director of the Institute for Strategic Studies of Mongolia

Dr. Mendee graduated from the Mongolian National Defense University and received his MAs from the US Naval Postgraduate School and the University of British Columbia. He obtained his PhD in political science from the University of British Columbia. Mendee served as political science and language instructor at the National Defense University, the Chief of the Foreign Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Defense, Defense Attaché at the Embassy of Mongolia in Washington, DC, senior expert at the Institute for Strategic Studies and Deputy Director of the Institute for Defense Analysis. He was the first Senior National Representative at the US Central Command in Tampa, Florida, the Asia Studies Visiting Fellow at the East West Center in Washington, and Post Graduate Research Fellow at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada.

Ms. Mandkhai Batsuren

Ms. Mandkhai Batsuren is the Director-General of Department of Multilateral Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia. Ms. Mandkhai Batsuren entered the foreign service in 2008. Since then, she has been serving at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia and has been working in different capacities in the Ministry, and in diplomatic Missions abroad. Ms. Mandkhai Batsuren holds a BA in International Relations from the Moscow State University of International Relations (MGIMO), and a MA in International Relations and Diplomacy from the United Nations Institute of Training and Research (UNITAR) and the Open University of Catalonia (UOC).

COL Munkh-Ochir Dorjjugder

Munkh-Ochir Dorjjugder is a career military officer, security practitioner, academic and former intelligence officer. Since 2021 he has been affiliated with the Executive Office of the National Security Council of Mongolia as its Head of Strategic Policy, Analysis department. Prior to that, he served as senior fellow/military analyst at the National Institute for Security Studies (NISS) (2018-21). His previous assignments include a number of key positions in the Mongolian military and intelligence community, notably Director of Military Intelligence (J2) (2015-17), Director for Administration, Ministry of Defense (2012-15, 2017-18) and Director for International Cooperation, Ministry of Defense (2009-2010). Col. Munkh-Ochir was also actively involved in academic community; besides NISS, he was Director of the Institute for Defense Studies (2011-12), senior fellow at the Institute for Strategic Studies (ISS) (2000-01, 2003-07) and visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution (2010). In 2015, he was posted as military advisor to Permanent Mission of Mongolia to UN and other international agencies in Vienna and was involved with Mongolia’s chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Forum for Security Cooperation (OSCE FSC). He is a graduate of the National University of Mongolia (1996) and the US Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA (2003) and completed the senior-level course at the NATO Defense College in Rome (2017). Col. Munkh-Ochir is an active supporter and contributor to the annual Ulaanbaatar Dialogue conferences – he served as moderator of four sessions of UBD in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022.

Prof. DAVAADORJ Begz

B.Davaadorj was born in West Mongolia. He holds bachelor degree and professional military education from the Military Institute in Soviet Union in 1982, the Military Diplomatic Academy of the Soviet Union in 1986. Later in 1999, he graduated Japanese National Institute for Defense Studies and earned Master’s degree on Military and Strategic studies. Prof. B. Davaadorj began his career as an Army officer in 1982, served in various positions from platoon to company at field military units, from officer to department head at Military intelligence agency HQ and Deputy Chief of General Staff. He also served as aide-de-camp of the Minister of Defense of Mongolia. During his career prof. Davaadorj appointed twice as Defense Attaché of Embassy of Mongolia to People’s Republic of China. He also served as Military adviser and Counselor to the Permanent Mission of Mongolia to the United Nations. As an academic, prof. Davaadorj appointed twice as a director of the Institute for Strategic Studies in 2009 and 2021, and the Institute for Defense Studies. His is research area is security and foreign policy studies, especially Northeast Asia, China and Russia.

Dr. Mimura Mitsuhiro

Dr. MIMURA, Mitsuhiro is a Professor at the Economic and Social Research Institute for Northeast Asia, University of Niigata Prefecture (ERINA-UNP) in Niigata, Japan. His specialty includes North Korean law and economy, economic cooperation in Eurasia. He is one of the rare Japanese scholars who regularly exchanges thoughts directly with North Korean scholars in Pyongyang. Supported by colleagues in both Koreas, China, Russia, the U.S., the E.U. and Japan, his research has deep insight on Northeast Asia. His recent research can be accessed through https://researchmap.jp/mimura?lang=en

Mr. Matthew Wittenstein

Matthew Wittenstein is Chief of Section for Energy Connectivity at the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP). Matthew supports member States in their efforts improve the sustainability and security of their energy systems through increased cross-border power system integration, and by supporting efforts to develop secure and sustainable value chains for critical energy transition minerals. Prior to joining the UN, Matthew was Senior Electricity Analyst at the International Energy Agency (IEA). From 2011 to 2014, he was a Fellow at the US Department of Energy. Matthew holds a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University, with a concentration in international economic policy.

Dr. Ganbold Baasanjav

Dr. Ganbold Baasanjav is the Head of United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP) East and North-East Asia Office based in Incheon, Republic of Korea.
Prior to joining ESCAP in 2019, Dr. Ganbold worked extensively for the government of Mongolia as a career diplomat, serving as Ambassador to the Republic of Korea (2013-2018) and Vietnam (2004-2008), and more recently as the Ambassador-at-large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Sustainable Development. Earlier he served as the State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Director-General of the Departments of Public Affairs and Asia and the Pacific respectively, and in the Embassy of Mongolia in Pyongyang, DPR of Korea.
He earned his BA in International Relations from Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO), Russia, MA in Political Science from University of Hawaii at Manoa, USA, and PhD in Law from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Republic of Korea.

LTG Jaromír ZUNA

Lieutenant General Jaromír ZŮNA, before his assignment as Defence Attache of the Czech Republic in Beijing, served as the 1st Deputy of the Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces. His responsibility included coordination and development of long term concepts, policies and strategies of the AFCR/MOD. Was personally responsible for international cooperation of the AFCR with the Allied and Partner nations and all the tasks and functions related to NATO IMS/NCS/NFS, EU, UN and international organizations. During his career he occupied various command and staff positions including Chief of Staff of the Training and Doctrine Command, Commander of the Training command and Military Academy, Director of the Logistics Agency and Director of the Support Division of the MOD/GS. His international experience includes deployments in NATO operations IFOR/SFOR. Between the years 2001 – 2002 he served as the Senior Liaison Officer to the U.S. Army TRADOC in Fort Monroe and 2010 – 2013 as the Chief of Staff and Deputy Commander of the NATO Joint Force Training Centre in Bydgoszcz.

Dr. Sonja Bachmann

Dr. Sonja Bachmann works as Teamleader on Northeast Asia and the Pacific in the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Asia and the Pacific Division with a focus on peace and security issues on the Korean Peninsula as well as engagement with the Pacific Islands Forum member countries. Ms. Bachmann had assignments with the UN Mission in Afghanistan, the UN Envoy in the Cyprus Negotiations, the Nepal peace process and as a Senior Peace and Development Advisor in the UN Office for the Pacific in Fiji. Prior to joining the United Nations, Ms. Bachmann has worked in the World Bank on community driven development. She also spent a year in Peru advising the Peruvian Government on investment promotion and sustainable tourism. Ms. Bachmann holds a Master in Law/Diplomacy from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Boston, MA and a DES from the Graduate Institute/IHEID, Geneva, as well as a PhD in political science from the University in Vienna, Austria. She is a national of Austria.

Ms. Emma Coïc

Emma Coïc joined the Ministry's Directorate General for International Relations and Strategy as a North-East Asia Advisor in April 2023. Her professional experience mainly covers Asian affairs and politico-strategic issues. She previously worked for a German political foundation in South Korea, the French Embassy in Vietnam as well as the French Consulate in Hong Kong. She completed her university studies in a franco-german curriculum between Sciences Po Aix in France and the University of Freiburg in Germany. She holds a dual bachelor’s degree in political sciences as well as a dual master's degree in Geostrategy, Defence and Security from those universities.

Ms. Ijun Kim

Ijun Kim is a Strategic Foresight Project Coordinator and Youth Advisory Group Member at the United Nations Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, through which she works to advance the Youth, Peace and Security agenda in the Asia and Pacific region. She is also a UNICEF Youth Foresight Senior Fellow and Research Consultant, leveraging foresight to promote meaningful youth engagement and integrating foresight in research. She holds a master's degree from the University of Washington School of Law, through which she explored the intersection of international law and sustainable development.

Hon. Bryon WILFERT

The Honourable Bryon Wilfert served for 26 years of elected political office both as a Municipal Councillor and as Member of Parliament. He served as Junior Minister of the Environment, as well as Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and National Defence. Currently he is the Honorary Consul for Mongolia. He was the Consul General of Myanmar for 9 years. Bryon holds a Master of Arts in Political Economy (U of T), Institute of Corporate Directors designation (ICD.D) (U of T – Rotman School), and holds an Accredited Municipal Clerk and Treasurer (AMCT) in Municipal Administration from St. Lawrence College. He was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun – Gold/Silver Star from His Imperial Majesty and the Prime Minister of Japan for his tireless work on Canada/Japan relations. He holds the Queen’s Gold and Diamond Jubilee Medals. He is Senior Associate at Tactix Government Relations & Public Affairs in Ottawa.

Ms. Vina Nadjibulla

Vina Nadjibulla joined APF Canada as Vice-President, Research & Strategy in November, 2023. Vina leads APF Canada’s research, education, and network support activities. She also oversees the Foundation’s granting and research fellowships programs as well as development and capacity building projects. She is a frequent media commentator on geopolitics, Canadian foreign policy, and Canada-Asia relations, with a focus on India and China. As an international security and peacebuilding specialist, Vina spent a significant portion of her career working at the United Nations headquarters and in peacekeeping and peacebuilding missions in West and Central Africa. She has more than two decades of professional experience in high-level diplomacy, advocacy, policy-making, and political risk analysis. From war zones to board rooms, Vina has worked with national governments, non-profits, and philanthropic organizations in Canada, the United States, China, and a number of countries in Africa and Central Asia. Vina is an Adjunct Professor at the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs at the University of British Columbia and a Senior Research Fellow at The Soufan Center, a conflict resolution think-tank headquartered in New York. Vina holds a Master’s degree in International Affairs from Columbia University and is fluent in English, Russian, and Farsi and speaks intermediate Mandarin Chinese. A citizen of Canada, she was born in the Soviet Union, raised in Afghanistan, and educated in the U.S.

Mr. Benjamin Nuland

Yale University

Mr. Nicholas Bradley

Mr Bradley is First Secretary at the Australian Embassy in Tokyo. He has worked on Australia's economic and political relationship with countries including China, Argentina and Japan.

Mr. Alberto Turkstra

Alberto Turkstra is project manager at Diplomatic World, a Brussels-based international quarterly magazine and think tank interlinking the worlds of politics, diplomacy, business, finance, art and culture, and representing an exclusive interface between decision makers in economic, political and diplomatic circles.

Ms. Barbara Dietrich

Barbara Dietrich is CEO at Diplomatic World, a Brussels-based international quarterly magazine and think tank interlinking the worlds of politics, diplomacy, business, finance, art and culture, and representing an exclusive interface between decision makers in economic, political and diplomatic circles.

Dr. Tomasz Wierzbowski

Dr. Tomasz Wierzbowski has been actively engaged in various academic as well as business activities regarding the European Union and the Korean Peninsula. He is currently a EURAXESS Korea Representative - EURAXESS is a European Commission initiative that supports researcher mobility and career development while enhancing scientific collaboration between Europe and the world. Tomasz holds a Ph.D. in International Relations from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and M.A. in International Politics from Sungkyunkwan University under a Korean Government Scholarship. He is focused on Northeast Asia and offers academic courses in International Relations. His academic interest lies also in the methodology of social sciences.

Mr. Nobuto Tanaka

Nobuo Tanaka is Chairman of the steering committee of the Innovation for Cool Earth Forum (ICEF), which was established by former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2014. He was Chairman and President of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation for 2015-2020. As Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA) from 2007 to 2011, he initiated a collective release of oil stocks in June 2011. He also played a crucial and personal role in the strengthening of ties with major non-Member energy players, including China and India. He began his career in 1973 in the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and has served in a number of high-ranking positions, including Director-General of the Multilateral Trade System Department. He was deeply engaged in bilateral trade issues with the US as Minister for Industry, Trade and Energy at the Embassy of Japan, Washington DC. He has also served twice as Director for Science, Technology and Industry (DSTI) of the Paris-based international organization, OECD. As CEO of Tanaka Global Inc, he advises several Japanese and International companies. He graduated from University of Tokyo and have MBA from Case Western Reserve University.

Mr. Hanyi Yang

China Institute, Fudan University

Prof. Shahbaz Khan

Professor Shahbaz Khan was appointed as the Director of the UNESCO Office in Beijing and UNESCO Representative to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Japan, Mongolia, People’s Republic of China, and the Republic of Korea on 9 March 2021. Prof Khan joined UNESCO in 2008 at its Headquarters as Chief of the Water and Sustainable Development Section. Then he served as the Director of the Regional Bureau for Sciences in Asia and the Pacific in Jakarta, Indonesia, and UNESCO Representative to Indonesia, Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, the Philippines and Timor-Leste (2015-2021). He has worked in Australia, France, Indonesia and Pakistan in various research, consultancy and policy positions around hydrology and sustainable development. His work has been widely recognized e.g. 2019 China Friendship Award, Great Wall Friendship Award China 2017 and Land and Water Australia’s Eureka Prize 2007. Prof Khan holds a Hon Doctorate Environment and Development from the National University of Malaysia and Hon DSc from the University of Birmingham.

Ms. Frida Zaric

Frida Zaric is Minister Counsellor and Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of Sweden in Beijing. She has been working for the Ministry for Foreign Affairs since more than 20 years, covering a wide range of issues from security policy, development cooperation and trade to human resources management. Previous postings abroad include Myanmar, Colombia, India, Japan and France. She holds a Master’s degree in Political Sciences from the University of Uppsala and has also studied at SciencesPo Paris.

Mr. James Glyn Ford

James Glyn Ford was a Member of the European Parliament for 25 years (1984-2009). Serving on both the International Trade and Foreign Affairs Committees, particularly on dossiers related to Asia, he was rapporteur for the Free Trade Agreement with ASEAN and for implementing the Scientific Partnership Agreement with the Republic of Korea. He was also a member of the Delegation for Relations with Japan (1984-2009) and the Delegation for Relations with the Korean Peninsula from its creation in 2004 until 2009. Since he left the European Parliament in 2009, Mr. Ford continued his political and academic engagement with the DPRK in the framework of his Brussels-based NGO Track2Asia. He established a Political Dialogue with the International Department of the Workers’ Party of Korea over the last 14 years and has visited the DPRK almost 50 times. Mr. Ford has published three books: North Korea on the Brink (2008, translated into Japanese and Korean), Talking to North Korea (2018, translated into Korean) and the dual language Korean -English Picturing the DPRK (2023). He is also an active Member of the North East Asia Economic Forum as well as a Board Member of the Pacific Century Institute.

Ms. Kaja Glomm

Minister Counsellor, Deputy Head of Mission

Mr. Arnaud Leveau

Arnaud LEVEAU has over 20 years practical experience of work in the Indo/Asia-Pacific region in Business and Industry (Danone, Airbus, Sciaci Saint Honoré, A&B Strategy), Governmental affairs (French Ministry of Foreign Affairs), and Research centers. He is currently head of the Asia Sparks program at the Asia Center, the leading French think-tank dedicated to Asia and his teaching international relations in Asia at Paris Dauphine University. He was Deputy Director of the French Research Institute on Contemporary Southeast Asia. He also has worked at the ASEAN Studies Center of Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok (Thailand), at the Center for Southeast Asia Studies of Kyoto University (Japan) and at Sogang Institute for East Asia Studies in Seoul (South Korea). He holds a Ph.D in Political Science from the East Asia Institute of the Ecole Normale Supérieure of Lyons in France. He also participates to the group of reflexion Asie21. He is the author of numerous publications on the Korean peninsula, Thailand and Southeast Asia. His researches mostly focus on questions related to security, defense and international relations in the Indo/Asia Pacific region.

Prof. Charles Krusekopf

Charles Krusekopf is a professor in the School of Business at Royal Roads University in Victoria BC. He is the founder of the American Center for Mongolian Studies (ACMS) and has written and managed more than $6 million in grant projects from private foundations and government to support fellowships and academic programs such as the annual ACMS Mongolia Field School and research fellowships, Asian Studies development and training opportunities for Indigenous managers. He has a PhD in Economics from the University of Washington, an MA in International Relations and China Studies from Johns Hopkins School of International Studies and a BA in Economics and Management from Rice University. He has worked in the past as a consultant with organizations including the World Bank, the Soros Foundation, the Albright Stonebridge Group, GLG, Fortune Magazine, the Office of the US Trade Representative and the US Department of State. He has served as a visiting professor at universities in Austria, Germany, and China, and was a Fulbright Lecturer in Mongolia. He has published reports and book chapters on topics including Mongolia's Critical Minerals issues, Mongolian renewable energy, Mongolia’s economic development and performance, the role Mongolia can play in energy cooperation in Northeast Asia and consulting reports on international innovation partnerships and policies for companies and government.

Ms. Rachel M. Lee

Rachel Minyoung Lee is a Senior Fellow for the Stimson Center’s Korea Program and 38 North. Lee was a North Korea collection expert and analyst with Open-Source Enterprise (OSE; formerly known as Open Source Center) in the US government from 2000 to 2019. During that time, she wrote on the gamut of North Korean issues, from leadership, domestic politics and economy, and foreign policy, to social and cultural developments. As Analysis Team Lead, Lee led a team of collection officers and analysts to track and analyze North and South Korean issues with implications for Pyongyang’s regime stability and regional security. Lee earned her B.A. in English literature and her M.A. in international law, both at Korea University in Seoul.

Ms. Jenny Town

Jenny Town is a Senior Fellow at the Stimson Center and Director of Stimson’s Korea Program and 38 North. Her research areas include North Korea, US-DPRK relations, US-ROK alliance relations and extended deterrence, and Northeast Asia regional security. She is also an Associate Fellow at the Foreign Policy Institute at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, a Member of the National Committee on North Korea, an Associate Member of the Council of Korean Americans, and serves on the Editorial Board for Inkstick. She previously served as the Assistant Director of the US-Korea Institute at SAIS and an expert reviewer for Freedom House’s Freedom in the World Index, where she previously worked on the Human Rights in North Korea Project. Ms. Town holds a BA in East Asian Studies and International Relations from Westmar University and a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs.

Dr. Adrian Ang

Dr Adrian Ang holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science from the University of Missouri-Columbia and Master of Arts in International Relations from the University of Calgary. Prior to joining RSIS, he was Assistant Professor at Florida International University (2008-2015) and also worked in the private sector as a research consultant (2016-2018). His research interests include American public opinion; political parties; elections, campaigns, and voting behavior; and congressional politics.

Mr. Henrick Zhizhao Tsjeng

Henrick TSJENG is an Associate Research Fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. His research interests include political and security relations between Southeast Asian countries with major powers like China and the United States, defense cooperation in ASEAN and the Asia Pacific, as well as the role of discourse power and information operations in international relations. He has written numerous op-eds in various commentary platforms and news outlets, and has also helped to organize events examining these topics. He is an active participant at the Track II Network of ASEAN Defense and Security Institutions (NADI), a group comprising think tanks from ASEAN countries that support the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting. Prior to RSIS, Henrick was a researcher at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs from 2011 to 2013, where he conducted research and analysis on topical issues such as ASEAN politics, U.S.-China matters and environmental concerns. Before joining the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, Mr Tsjeng took on various positions in the United States after graduating from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs with a Master in International Affairs in 2010, including brief stints at the National Committee on American Foreign Policy, the United Nations, and Carbon Credit Capital, a carbon finance and project advisory company.

Mr. Duarte Nuno Pinto da Rocha

DHOM Portugal in Beijing. Previously DHOM Cairo and Oslo.

Ms. Milana Bazarova

Ms. Bazarova Milana graduated from Tashkent State Law Institute with Bachelor's and Master's Degree in Jurisprudence. Since 2006, she has been working at the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan in various positions from researcher to Head of the Department for CIS and Russian Studies.

Dr. Alexander Shandrygin

Doctor of Sciences, has 43 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, including in leading Russian oil and gas companies, as well as in the international companies-Schlumberger and DeGolyer & McNaughton. Member of the Competency Working Group, EGRM of the UN Economic Commission for Europe. Over the years, he served on various SPE committees, including the Oil and Gas Reserves Committee. Author of more than 100 scientific papers and 2 monographs.

Ms. Monica Weller

Ms. Monica Weller is a Program Officer at the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Washington, DC. Since 2019 she has been affiliated with the Edwin O. Reischauer Center for East Asian Studies as a Policy Research Fellow. She previously conducted a Fulbright Award in Khovd, Mongolia from 2018-19. Monica received her MA in International Relations from Johns Hopkins SAIS. Her research interests include international development policy, U.S. foreign policy, and public policy reform with a focus on women’s political inclusion.

Dr. Daniel del Barrio Alvarez

Dr. Daniel del Barrio Alvarez is an assistant professor at the University of Tokyo, department of Civil Engineering. At the International Project Laboratory, his research focuses on policies for energy transition in Asia and the Pacific. His current research projects include just transition assessment for regional power connectivity, low carbon mobility in developing countries, and international cooperation for infrastructures policies.

Mr. Rustem Mustafin

Institute of Philosophy, Political Science and Religious Studies of the Committee of Science of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan

SLTC Nguyen Minh Sang

SCol. Dr. Nguyen Minh Sang is the Deputy Director of the Institute for Strategic Studies, the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam. He earned PhD in International law from Hanoi University of Law.

Prof. Alexey Mikhalev

I was born in 1980 in Ulan-Ude. Now, I'm Professor of IR in FEFU (Vladivostok). My scientific specialization is Inner Asian politics.

Ms. Tianchen Wei

Assistant researcher at China Institute, Fudan University.

Ms. Maria Pastukhova

Based in E3G’s Berlin office, Maria Pastukhova leads E3G’s work on energy diplomacy, energy security and the geopolitics of energy transition.She works with policymakers, academia, civil society, organizations and businesses to create political conditions and build diplomacy coalitions for the sustainable and equitable global transformation of energy systems towards climate neutrality. Before joining E3G, Maria worked at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) covering the geopolitical aspects of energy transition and EU energy diplomacy, as well as the EU/German-Russian energy relations. She also supports the work of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP) on power grid connectivity for sustainable development in Northeast Asia. Prior to that, she had worked with Foresight Intelligence, developing strategic foresight formats for a broad range of (geo)political issues.

Ms. Yunhong Zhang

Yunhong Zhang, Deputy Head of Delegation for IFRC East Asia Yunhong Zhang was appointed the Deputy Head of Delegation for East Asia on March 1, 2023. She is responsible for leading and managing National Society Development, program, and thematic efforts in IFRC East Asia.

MGEN Patrick Steiger

Major General Patrik Steiger joined the Special Military Academy of Saint-Cyr Coëtquidan in 1987 before being commissioned into the Marine Infantry. From 2007 to 2009, he serves as Aide-de-Camp of the President of the Republic prior to being appointed as the Deputy Spokesperson of the Armed Forces, from 2009 to 2010. In 2011, Colonel Steiger completes the Master’s degree of Strategic Studies of the Army War College after one-year study in Carlisle (Pennsylvania). In 2015, he joins the Defense Staff in Paris, where he is in charge of the relations with the Parliament, placed under the authority of the Committee for Foreign Affairs, Defense and Armed Forces of the Senate. From 2016 to 2019, he is the Spokesperson of the Armed Forces and communication adviser to the Chief of the Defense Staff. Promoted to Major General on 1 August 2022, he is appointed as official representative to the Assistant Chief of the Army Staff. On 1 January 2023, he is appointed as Head of the International Security Affairs Department at the Directorate General for International Relations and Strategy of the Ministry for the Armed Forces. Major General Steiger is Officer of the Legion of Honor and Commander of the National Order of Merit, as well as a holder of the Cross for Military Value.

Ms. Amandine Cros

Embassy of France

Prof. Hugh Miall

Hugh Miall is Senior Research Fellow at the Toda Peace Institute, Emeritus Professor of International Relations at the University of Kent, and Chair of the Conflict Research Society, the main professional association for peace and conflict researchers in the UK. He has been Director of the Conflict Analysis Research Centre and Head of the School of Politics and International Relations at the University of Kent and a Research Fellow in the European Program at Chatham House.

Ms. Jasna Lhotka

I have worked in the Slovenian diplomatic service since 1993. During my career, I worked in several departments at the Slovenian MOFA, including Department for Department for International Organizations and Human Security, Department for Neighboring Countries, Department for Enlargement and South-Eastern Europe, Department for Africa and Middle East and Department for Asia, Africa and Oceania. I was posted to Zagreb and Madrid. In July 2022, I was appointed as Head of Asia and Pacific Department. I graduated in Economics from University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Economics.

Ms. Sofia Bergquist Khutsson

First Secretary at the Embassy of Sweden in Beijing.

Mr. Joon Yeop Lee

Joong Yeop Lee is a Program Officer in Country Engagement and Partnerships division in the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). He has more than 18 years of experience in the fields of energy policy, technological innovation, and international cooperation. In his role, Mr. Lee has been supporting the engagement with the Agency’s member states in Asia for cooperation in energy transition and climate actions. Previously, Mr. Lee served as a team leader and a Senior Deputy Director in the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) of South Korea since 2006. In this capacity, he developed an extensive expertise on renewable energy supply, energy efficiency, digitalization of industry and cooperation with a wide range of countries. Mr. Lee holds Master of Science in Engineering and Policy Analysis from Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands and Bachelor of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering from KAIST, South Korea.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Van

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Van is a researcher at Division 5, the Institute for Strategic Studies of the Ministry of Public Security, in charge of researching international relations and issues. She got her Master of Art in 2022.

Ms. Tonglaga Huang

National University of Mongolia

Mr. James Kim

Embassy of Canada to Mongolia

Mr. Deli Bi

LiaoNing University

Ms. Chunwen Zheng

LiaoNing University

Mr. Rousland Kats

Rouslan is Political and Economic Counsellor at Embassy of Canada to the Republic of Korea and would like to attend all of the sessions if possible.

Mr. Arnel Talisayon

Mr. ARNEL G. TALISAYON, Minister and Consul General was recently assigned at the Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines in Beijing with concurrent jurisdiction in Mongolia and Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Prior to his posting in China, he was assigned in various capacities to the Office of ASEAN Affairs, Office of Consular Affairs, and Office of Civilian Security, among others. He was also assigned to the Philippine Mission in Geneva and the Philippine Embassy in Seoul. He joined the Foreign Ministry in 2003.

Mr. Harikrishnan Tulsidas

Harikrishnan Tulsidas is a Technical Lead on Sustainable Resource Management at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) with over 30 years of experience in natural resources and materials management. He has previously worked with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Department of Atomic Energy in India. Mr. Tulsidas leads the development and implementation of the United Nations Framework Classification for Resources (UNFC) and the United Nations Resource Management System (UNRMS). He has led over 50 international technical cooperation and collaborative research projects in sustainable resource development in over 80 countries and has authored over 100 publications.

Mr. Vilijus Samuila

Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in Seoul

Dr. Pham Lan Dung

Amb. Dr. Pham Lan Dung is currently Acting President of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam (DAV) – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam; President of Asian Society of International Law (ASIANSIL); and Vice President - Secretary General, Vietnam Society of International Law (VSIL). Prior to this, she served as Director-General, Foreign Service Training Center (FOSET) (2015 to 2021); Dean of International Law Faculty at DAV (2008 to 2015), and Leader of many MOFA Research Programs in International Law and International Organizations. She got her Doctor of Philosophy in International Relations, Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam (2010-2014); Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy, at Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, Boston, MA, US, (2000 – 2002); Diploma in International Law, Moscow State Institute of International Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Soviet Union, (1987 – 1993). Her most recent international research projects in international law of the sea include “Legal and practical issues in maritime delimitation and joint development with China in the area outside the mouth of the Gulf of Tonkin” (2016); “The Philippines-China UNCLOS Annex VII Arbitration case and its implication for Vietnam” (2013) and “The role of maps in maritime and land disputes under international law” (2013). Besides, she also has various publications and research projects in other fields of international law and international relations.

Dr. Thanh Hai Do

Dr. Do Thanh Hai is currently Senior Fellow and Deputy Director General of the East Sea Institute at the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam (DAV). He previously served as Minister Counsellor and Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Vietnam in India; vacation scholar at the University of New South Wales at the Australian Defense Force Academy in Canberra, and Deputy Director of the Centre for Political and Security Studies of the DAV's Institute for Foreign Policy and Strategic Studies in Hanoi. He obtained his doctorate from the Australian National University and his master’s degree from Erasmus Mundus Global Studies Program. He also published on The East Asia Policy, The Journal for Contemporary East Asia Studies, The Pacific Review, The Maritime Affairs, The ASAN Forum, CSIS PacNet, Journal of International Review (DAV) and a number of news outlets. He is the author of the book titled Vietnam and the South China Sea: Politics, Security and Legality and published by Routledge in 2017. His latest books, both of which are co-edited with Prof. Leszek Buszynski, are The South China Sea: From Regional Maritime Dispute to Geostratetgic Competition published by Routledge in 2019 and Maritime Issues and Regional Order in Indo-Pacific published by Palgrave Macmillan in 2021.

Ms. Nominbolor Khurel

Nominbolor graduated from National University of Mongolia with bachelor’s and master’s degree in chemistry, and a master’s degree in environmental studies from the University of Melbourne, Australia. She previously worked as a researcher in the Department of environmental studies at the National Development Institute, and has experience in national and local development policy, socio-ecological vulnerabilities, and adaptation to climate change.

Prof. Sergey Radchenko

Sergey Radchenko is the Wilson E. Schmidt Distinguished Professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. He has written extensively on the Cold War, nuclear history, and on Russian and Chinese foreign and security policies. He has served as a Global Fellow and a Public Policy Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson Centre and as the Zi Jiang Distinguished Professor at East China Normal University (Shanghai). Professor Radchenko’s books include To Run the World: the Kremlin’s Cold War Bid for Global Power (Cambridge UP, forthcoming in 2024), Two Suns in the Heavens: the Sino-Soviet Struggle for Supremacy (Wilson Center Press & Stanford UP, 2009), and Unwanted Visionaries: the Soviet Failure in Asia (Oxford UP, 2014). Professor Radchenko is a native of Sakhalin Island, Russia, was educated in the US, Hong Kong, and the UK, where he received his PhD in 2005 (LSE). Before he joined SAIS, Professor Radchenko worked and lived in Mongolia, China, and Wales.

MGEN Dao Ngoc Dinh

Major General Dao Ngoc Dinh, born 1965, Director of the Institute of Public Security Strategy. As Director of the Institute of Public Security Strategy, he directed the organization to study international strategic and security issues affecting Vietnam's national interests and security. The focus of the Institute's work is to study the world and regional situation in the fields of politics, security and economy; study factors affecting the task of protecting Vietnam's independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, especially related to the East Sea and Mekong sub-region; Emerging non-traditional security challenges such as cyber security, water security, food security, piracy, transnational crime, international terrorism crime, drug crime... The Institute of Public Security Strategy also has the function of expanding cooperation with strategic research agencies of other countries. Through international cooperation to exchange assessments and forecasts on the world and regional situation; at the same time, gain experience and improve research ability for staff.

Mr. Li Chao

Inner Mongolia Social Science Institute

Mr. Bartosz Tymkowski

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland

Mr. Karol Bronicki

Second Secretary, China and Mongolia Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland.

Mr. Konrad Pawlik

Deputy Director at the Department of Asia and Pacific, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland

Dr. Aleksandr Vorontsov

Alexander Vorontsov Ph.D. (History) is currently the head of the Department for Korean and Mongolian Studies at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russia Academy of Sciences. He also holds post as Russian Military Science Academy Professor. He repeatedly takes part at the “track 1.5" and "track 2" conferences dealing with the security situation on the Korean Peninsula and East Asia. He was visiting professor at the Hanguk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul from 1998 to 2000; at the Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto, Japan in 2009, 2012 and 2020; at the Akita International University, Japan in 2015, member of faculty of Yonsei University International Summer School in Seoul in 2010; visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution Center for Northeast Asian Policy Studies in Washington D.C. in 2005-2006, graduated from Asia Pacific-Center for Security Studies Executive Courses in Honolulu in 2005. Vorontsov served as second secretary in the Russian Federation’s Embassy in Pyongyang from 2000 to 2002. Vorontsov holds a Ph.D. in history from the Institute of Oriental Studies at the U.S.S.R. Academy of Sciences. He was the member of the Russian part of the Russia-DPRK, Russia-ROK Intergovernmental Commission dealing with trade-economic and scientific-technical cooperation and associate professor at the MGIMO University Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia from 2012 to 2022. Vorontsov has studied at Lomonosov Moscow State University and Pyongyang Kim Il Sung University.

Dr. Chunji Xuan

Dr. XUAN is an associate professor at Northeast Asian Studies College, Jilin University. She obtained her Ph.D. in Economics from Korea University in 2015. Her areas of research include macroeconomics, Korean Peninsula Problem and the Northeast Asian economy.

Ms. Yang Zhao

Jilin University

Prof. Bo Xu

Professor of Northeast Asian Studies College of Jilin University

Prof. Dianjun Ba

Professor, Deputy Director, Northeast Asia Research Center, Jilin University

Ms. Lijun Fan

Director of the Belt and Road Initiative Institute, Inner Mongolia Academy of Social Science

COL Tamas Kisvari

Colonel Tamas Kisvari has been the defense, military and air attaché of Hungary in Beijing also accredited to Mongolia since 2020. I work in Beijing for the second time as DA, at the first time it was between 2012 and 2016. I was also accredited to Mongolia during that period. I was also the DA of Hungary in Romania between 2004 and 2008. I spent one year in Afghanistan in 2003 and in Iraq in 2018-2019 as part of the Hungarian peacekeeping contingent.

Mr. Nicholas Millwrad

Nick is the Mongolia Connect Director at the Yokosuka Council on Asia-Pacific Studies. He has a background in Peace and Conflict Studies and Central Asia. He is also the US Co-Director for Friends of Mongolia, a non-profit focused on strengthening Mongolian-American relations.

Ms. Aolei

Research Assistant at the Belt and Road Initiative Institute, Inner Mongolia Academy of Social Science

Dr. Sang-jung Byun

Dr. Sang-jung Byun is the Director of the Department of North Korean Studies at the Institute for National Security Strategy (INSS), South Korea. She holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Yonsei University, Seoul. She currently holds positions as a member of the Review Committee on National Defense Policy at the Ministry of National Defense and the Central Senior Civil Servant Recruitment Committee under the Ministry of Personnel Management. She has served on the Policy Advisory Board for the Ministry of National Defense and the Presidential Policy Advisory Board.

HE Mr. Roderick Wols

Deputy Ambassador of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Beijing, China

Assoc. Prof. Anton Dudaronak

Anton Dudaronak, The Head of the Department in Belarusian Institute for Strategic Research. Graduated from the History Department of the Belarusian State Pedagogical University with a specialization in history and religious studies. Has Master's degree of the Academy of Administration under the President of the Republic of Belarus with a specialization in Political Analysis. Candidate of Historical Sciences, with a specialization “History of International Relations and Foreign Policy”, Associate Professor. Previously worked at the Institute of Retraining and Professional Development of the Ministry for Emergency Situations, the Academy of Administration under the President of the Republic of Belarus, the Information and Analytical Centre under the Administration of the President of the Republic of Belarus. Research interests: regional security in the Eurasian space, development trends of the Central Asia region, geopolitical changes in the Asia-Pacific region in the XXI century. Sphere of interests and research: Regional security in Eurasia, trends of development of Central Asia region; Geopolitical changes in the Asia Pacific region in the XXI century.

HE Ambassador Peter Semneby

Ambassador Peter Semneby is Swedish Special Envoy for the Korean Peninsula since 2023. He has worked extensively with conflict management and mediation in the Swedish diplomatic service and with the European Union and the Organization for Security and cooperation in Europe (OSCE). He led the OSCE missions in Latvia and Croatia, served as EU Special Representative for South Caucasus, as Swedish Ambassador in Afghanistan and Lebanon, chargé d'affaires in Syria, and Swedish Special Representative for the conflicts Libya and Yemen, largely during Sweden's term as an elected member of the UN Security Council. He has also served in Russia, Ukraine and Germany.