U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper is set to meet senior Mongolian leaders on Thursday in a rare visit to the strategically important nation to deepen ties, 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.

Esper¡¯s visit to Mongolia, on his first international trip since being confirmed as defense secretary, highlights the importance the country is seen as playing in the region.