Many Mongolian media reported Ambassador Shen Minjuan’s Tsagaan Sar greetings to Mongolians.

Ambassador Shen Minjuan’s written interview with GoGo.mn:

Are you going to celebrate the Lunar New Year for the first time in Mongolia? Please share your thoughts with us about this holiday. 

I’ve been here for only four months and this will be my very first Tsagaan Sar in Mongolia, which happens to fall on the same day as the Spring Festival of China. The lovely coincidence brings more expectations to celebrate the two festivals. 

The Spring Festival and Tsagaan Sar share the same theme of family reunion and homemade food. The most important part is the taste of family. I will spend the holiday with my colleagues of my embassy in the traditional Chinese way including making jiaozi, sharing dinner, and watching the Spring Festival Gala. I also look forward to celebrating the festival by visiting Mongolian friends to try traditional food and enhance friendship. 

What do you think is special about Mongolian traditional customs and meals?

I was fascinated by the traditional Mongolian clothes which are elegant and well-designed with unique creativity, in particular those for ladies. It also shares some Chinese traditions such as the lapels and buckles, an example of cultural interconnectivity of the two countries. It’s a pity that Mongolian tailors are all busy before the Tsagaan Sar. I hope to have my own tailor-made deel after the festival. Mongolian cuisine is very delicious, especially khuushuur and mutton dumpling soup. They are too tasty to refuse more. Milk tofu and milk tea are also very good, and different household have their own way of making them. The only problem is that Mongolian friends are so hospitable that they serve too much and I feel worried about gaining weight every time I try Mongolian food.

Please send Lunar New Year's greetings to all Mongolians.  

This year is the Jiachen Dragon Year of China and the Year of Wood Dragon of Mongolia. There is a Chinese phrase “the spirit of horse and dragon”, which means an up-beating and hardworking character. Dragon is the symbol of the Chinese people and horse is the most loyal partner of Mongolians. They embody the spirit and strength of the two countries. I would like to borrow this phrase to wish everyone to have the spirit of horse and dragon and enjoy prosperity and good health in the new year. 

What does the Chinese Embassy plan to do in 2024?

2023 is a year of fruitful results for China-Mongolia relations, with multiple high-level meetings and a nearly 30% increase in bilateral trade to a new high of USD 17 billion. The border ports, flights and trains were maximized. Mongolia sent the largest delegation for the Hangzhou Asian Games and the morin khuur orchestra became instant hits in Shanghai. These are all vivid demonstrations of the profound friendship of the two peoples. 2024 marks the 75th anniversary of the China-Mongolia ties and the 10th anniversary of the comprehensive strategic partnership. To kick off this important year, we just held the Happy Chinese New Year events at the Ski Resort and the Hun Theater. China’s Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund also gave support to a forest firefighting project in Mongolia and my embassy made donations to the dzud-hit herders. Going forward, we will continue to carry out projects that benefit the two peoples, hold events celebrating this significant year and provide assistance that addresses the urgent needs of Mongolians friends to consolidate the foundation of the community with a shared future of the two countries.

At this very moment, I’d like to wish the China-Mongolia ties soar like dragons and tigers to new heights, and the friendship of the two permanent neighbors make confident strides and always move forward. 

Ambassador Shen Minjuan extended Tsagaan Sar greetings to the Mongolian people through Central TV:

This year is the Jiachen Year of Loong of China and the Year of Wood Dragon of Mongolia. It also marks the 75th anniversary of the China-Mongolia diplomatic ties. Loong is an auspicious being that brings wisdom and strength. I wish the two countries a year of leaping development as dragons and tigers and the bilateral friendship will come to a higher level. 

I'm very pleased to have my first Tsagaan car and Chinese New Year in Ulaanbaatar which happened to fall on the same day. This lovely coincidence brings vigor and vitality of dragons and horses for the 75th anniversary of the China Mongolian ties.

Таван хошуу мал нь өсөн үржиж, Сар шинэдээ сайхан шинэлээрэй!（Mongolian: May the animals grow and happy Tsagaan Sar.）

Ambassador Shen Minjuan attended the Tsagaan Sar Reception hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia for the envoys and accepted an interview: 

I’m very happy to have my first Tsagaan Sar here. It’s a such a happy coincidence that the Chinese New Year and the Tsagaan Sar fall on the same day. I believe that the dragon will bring all the good fortune to the two peoples and for the bilateral relations between our two countries. I would like to say Happy Tsagaan Sar. Sar shinedee saikhan shineleerei!