Former Canadian ambassador to China and Mongolia joins Ivanhoe Mines' Board of Directors SINGAPORE, March 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Robert M. Friedland, Chairman of Ivanhoe Mines, announced today that Howard Balloch, a former Canadian ambassador to China, Mongolia and North Korea, has joined the company's Board of Directors, effective immediately. Prior to being appointed a Canadian ambassador in 1996, Mr. Balloch spent 20 years with the Canadian Government, serving most recently as Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet in the Privy Council Office, and Assistant Deputy Minister for Asia Pacific, the Prime Minister's representative to APEC and Head of the Policy Planning Staff in the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. A specialist on Pacific Rim nations, he helped to develop bilateral exchanges between Canada and China and led the promotion and protection of Canadian interests in China. After retiring from the government's foreign service in July 2001, Mr. Balloch continued to support Sino-Canadian business cooperation through his Beijing-based private investment and consulting business, The Balloch Group, and as president of the Canada-China Business Council. Mr. Balloch also is a director of Ivanhoe Energy Inc. Mr. Balloch, 53, earned his BA and MA from McGill University, Montreal, and subsequently pursued further graduate studies at the University of Toronto and Fondation nationale des Sciences Politiques in Paris. Ivanhoe has a 100% interest in the Oyu Tolgoi copper and gold project and owns or controls exploration rights covering approximately 118,000 square kilometres in Mongolia, where additional copper, gold and coal discoveries are being delineated. Ivanhoe produces LME Grade A copper from its Monywa joint venture in Myanmar. Ivanhoe's shares are listed on the New York, Toronto and Australian stock exchanges under the symbol IVN. Information contacts: Investors: Bill Trenaman / Media: Bob Williamson, +1.604.688.5755 DATASOURCE: Ivanhoe Mines Ltd. CONTACT: Information contacts: Investors: Bill Trenaman, Media: Bob Williamson, (604) 688-5755; To request a free copy of this organization's annual report, please go to http://www.newswire.ca/ and click on reports@cnw.

Copyright