Inner Mongolia is encouraged to maintain diplomatic contact (6)
I believe the answer is:
liaise
'diplomatic contact' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both to do with communicating as well as being verbs in their base form.
Maybe you can see a link between them that I can't see?
'inner mongolia is encouraged to maintain' is the wordplay.
'to maintain' indicates the answer is hidden within the clue (the solution is kept or maintained by the clue).
'LIAISE' is hidden in the letters of 'inner mongolia is encouraged'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for liaise that I've seen before include "Intercommunicate" , "Collaborate" , "Communicate with for mutual benefit" , "Mediate" , "Mutually cooperate" .)