According to Mongolian media reports, protesters went to the Kherlen Tohoi XXVIII oil exploration area and tried to stop exploration work by Mongolia Foison Energy last Friday.

They live-streamed the event, with social media footage showing two women dumping items belonging to Chinese workers onto the ground.

Two Mongolian citizens involved in the incident have been detained, according to local authorities.

Chinese chargé d’affaires Cao Li raised “serious concern” over the incident with Buriad Dashpurev, state secretary of Mongolia’s Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, during a meeting on Tuesday, according to the embassy.

“We urge the Mongolian side to continue taking concrete measures to protect the lawful rights and interests of Chinese enterprises and the personal and property safety of Chinese employees, and prevent similar incidents from happening again,” the embassy said.

According to the embassy, Dashpurev apologised over the incident and said Mongolia would not tolerate interference with the lawful operations of Chinese companies.

Dashpurev described such acts as damaging to Mongolia’s national interests and economic security, adding that police had opened an investigation and that those involved had been detained, it said.