On May 18, 2023, the President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov, who arrived on a working visit to Xi'an, Shaanxi Province of the People's Republic of China to participate in “the China - Central Asia” Summit, held talks with the President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping.
Chinese President Xi Jinping thanked President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov for accepting the invitation to pay a working visit to the People's Republic of China.
Today's high-level meeting is the second one in the current year, the leader of the friendly country said, reaffirming China's commitment to expanding cooperation with Turkmenistan, which successfully implements the "open door" policy and demonstrates significant progress in all spheres of the state and society.
Particular emphasis was placed on the significance of the state visit of the President of Turkmenistan to China in January 2023, as a result of which important agreements were reached and a package of documents was signed to promote further fruitful cooperation.
Thanking the President of the People's Republic of China for the invitation to visit China to participate in the first Summit of the Heads of State of the " China - Central Asia " format, the President of Turkmenistan noted that the current visit to a friendly country is a good opportunity for a thorough exchange of views on a wide range of issues of bilateral cooperation.
The head of state stated with satisfaction that today the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, according to the established tradition, is actively expanding, based on the principles of equality, mutual respect and understanding. Evidence of this is the current meeting, the second one this year.
As emphasized, the main factor in the development of Turkmen-Chinese relations is the open, trusting, constructive dialogue that has developed at the highest state level. It is the regular meetings of the heads of Turkmenistan and China that give a powerful political impetus to the promotion of large-scale and long-term initiatives aimed at strengthening friendship and interaction between our countries and peoples.
Over the past period, thanks to joint efforts, bilateral contacts have reached the level of strategic cooperation in the political, trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian spheres. A solid legal framework has been developed between the countries, covering a variety of areas, which, of course, indicates that there is a huge space for joint activities, both in traditional and new areas.
All this allows the two states to successfully interact on the world stage, and makes it possible to continue to actively cooperate within the framework of the UN and a number of other international structures. In this regard, the President Serdar Berdimuhamedov reaffirmed his readiness to continue coordinating efforts on such important issues as ensuring lasting peace, security, stability, implementing the Sustainable Development Goals, and promoting initiatives on topical issues on the global agenda.
In terms of ensuring sustainable development and security in the region, efforts to combine the strategy of Turkmenistan "Revival of the Great Silk Road" with China's "One Belt, One Road" initiative are important, which will help strengthen bilateral economic cooperation.
Among the main areas of Turkmen-Chinese relations is the interaction between the legislative bodies, where special importance is attached to the intensification of the activities of the inter-parliamentary friendship group between the Mejlis of Turkmenistan and the National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China, and the establishment of the practice of regular mutual exchanges.
Turkmenistan and China are developing trade and economic partnership in accordance with previously reached agreements and programs. An example of this is the recent increase in the volume of bilateral trade.
It was noted that the key priority of interaction is the fuel and energy sector. As is known, in accordance with the signed contracts and agreements, since 2009, uninterrupted supplies of Turkmen natural gas to China have been carried out through the Turkmenistan-China gas pipeline.
Particular emphasis was placed on the priority of cultural and humanitarian cooperation, which is successfully developing today in the fields of culture, education, science and tourism.
In continuation of the negotiations in accordance with the agreements reached following the state visit of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov to China in January of this year, an exchange of views took place on holding 2024 as the Year of Culture of Turkmenistan in China, celebrating the 300th anniversary of the birth of the great thinker and poet Magtymguly Fragi.
Speaking about cooperation at the multilateral level, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and Chinese President Xi Jinping noted the prospects that “the China - Central Asia” format opens up for discussing the main items on the world and regional agenda.
Then, in the presence of President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov and President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping, a ceremony of signing bilateral documents was held.
The heads of the two states noted the readiness of the parties to further deepen the full-scale strategic partnership in the interests of the two friendly states and peoples.
In the evening, the President of Turkmenistan took part in a solemn reception, which was given on behalf of the President of the People's Republic of China in honor of the heads of state of the countries participating in “the China - Central Asia” Summit.
The working visit of the head of Turkmenistan to China continues.
