The answer is yes, but the profit does not arise from the very fact of transit. It appears where a business removes a specific constraint: a shortage of warehouses, throughput, processing, service companies, financing, or a clear market entry.
Mongolia's economy is already embedded in the triangle
According to the state agency Invest Mongolia, the country's foreign trade turnover in 2025 amounted to $ 27 billion: exports — $ 15.7 billion, imports — $ 11.3 billion, a positive balance — $ 4.4 billion. At the same time, 89.4% of Mongolian exports went to China. Coal accounted for 40.9% of export revenue, while copper ore and concentrates accounted for another 41.4%.
Imports are arranged differently: 40.9% of supplies came from China, 24.5% from Russia. The result is a rigid structure: China is the main buyer of Mongolian raw materials and the largest supplier of goods, while Russia retains its role as a critical supplier for energy and industrial consumption. Mongolia is interested in increasing domestic processing and reducing dependence on several raw materials.
Conclusion D2. For an entrepreneur, the most interesting thing is not the overall growth of trade, but the places where the current structure is forced to change: processing, technical services, logistics, energy, construction and production of products with higher added value.
The corridor is becoming an infrastructure project
The Central railway line connects the Russian network via Sukhbaatar and Ulaanbaatar with the Chinese Zamyn-Uud—Erlian crossing. In February 2026, the transport departments of Russia and Mongolia agreed to finalize a joint feasibility study for the modernization of the central line of the Russia-Mongolia—China economic corridor.
The corridor needs terminals, containerization, repairs, digital support, warehouses, temperature conditions, insurance, customs infrastructure and predictable planning. The transport highway forms the market around itself.
Seven business directions
- Equipment and services for the mining industry. Mongolia exports huge amounts of coal and copper raw materials, but it needs machinery, repairs, spare parts, automation and energy efficiency.
- Construction and infrastructure. The growth of terminals, industrial sites, and energy facilities creates demand for engineering solutions, metal structures, and materials for harsh climates.
- Food processing. The potential lies not only in the sale of raw materials, but also in slaughter, freezing, packaging, laboratory control and cold logistics. Each model requires a veterinary clearance check.
- Cashmere and textiles. Mongolia has a raw material base and a recognizable origin. Joint design, deep processing, contract production and promotion of ready-made brands instead of selling semi-finished products are possible.
- Warehouses and consolidation. The free zones at the Russian and Chinese borders allow us to build models of temporary storage, sorting, repackaging and subsequent re—export, provided that customs clearance is correct.
- Energy and autonomous solutions. Industrial sites need generation, heat, storage and renewable energy sources. The topic is included in the business week program.
- The digital infrastructure of the transaction. Counterparty verification, proof of origin, electronic data exchange, and payment support are independent services, not an administrative attachment to transportation.
Why free zones don't guarantee success yet
There are four free zones in Mongolia: Altanbulag (border with Russia), Zamyn-Uud (border with China), Tsagaannuur and Khushigiyn hundiy (Ulaanbaatar Airport). Invest Mongolia itself recognizes the infrastructure constraints and the gap between the potential and actual availability of the sites. The project cannot be built solely on a tax benefit — first you need to check electricity, water, access roads, customs regime and the cost of goods leaving the zone.
What should an entrepreneur check before the forum
- Who is the final buyer and in which country will the product be released into free circulation?
- What is the product code and does it fall under the tariff preferences of the EAEU—Mongolia Agreement?
- What operations are performed in Mongolia and do they create real added value?
- What does the pilot batch look like: volume, route, deadline, total cost, and success criteria?
D2 recommends it. To bring to the forum not a general presentation of the company, but one elaborated transaction: product, code, price, volume, route, origin, permits and distribution of roles.
