Chinese President Xi Jinping's special representative Ding Xuexiang said in Turkmenistan on Friday that the smooth commencement of the fourth phase of the Galkynysh gas field will further elevate energy cooperation between China and Turkmenistan to a new level.
Ding, also vice premier and a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when attending the groundbreaking ceremony of the fourth phase of the gas field with National Leader of the Turkmen People and Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.
In his address, Ding said the project carries the earnest expectations of the top leaders of both countries and embodies the shared aspirations of the two peoples.
He said both sides should prioritize quality and build the project into a premium one by advancing construction to high standards.
Both sides should pursue innovation-driven development and make the project a benchmark, so as to provide experience and demonstration for major natural gas projects, he said.
He said both sides should adhere to win-win cooperation and make the project a symbol of friendship, ensuring that the outcomes of cooperation contribute to China-Turkmenistan friendship.
During the meetings with Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, Ding conveyed Chinese President Xi Jinping's cordial greetings, and Turkmen leaders asked Ding to convey their sincere greetings to Xi.
Ding said that under the strategic guidance of the leaders of both countries, China-Turkmenistan relations have progressed rapidly and steadily, advancing from a friendly and cooperative partnership to a strategic one, and then to a comprehensive strategic partnership.
Mutual support is the essence of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries. China has always supported Turkmenistan in safeguarding its national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and in pursuing a policy of permanent neutrality. China is willing to be a reliable partner of Turkmenistan, and also hopes that Turkmenistan will continue to offer firm support on issues concerning China's core interests and major concerns, Ding said.
Noting that natural gas cooperation is the cornerstone of China-Turkmenistan relations and has brought tangible benefits to the people of both countries, Ding stressed that both sides should pay more attention to starting from a strategic perspective and long-term interests, adhere to moving in the same direction, accelerate the advancement of major projects, take advantage of the momentum and make good use of the cooperation window period, expand the volume and scale of natural gas cooperation, and improve the quality and efficiency of energy cooperation.
At the same time, the two countries should further enhance cooperation in non-resource fields such as connectivity, economic and trade investment, agriculture, and the digital economy, and foster new drivers of economic growth, thus jointly promoting China-Central Asia cooperation and joining hands with regional countries to seek common development and prosperity, Ding said.
Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said that the Turkmen side firmly adheres to the one-China principle and supports China's territorial integrity and national unity.
Turkmenistan is willing to continuously deepen political mutual trust with China, accelerate the synergy between its Revival of the Great Silk Road strategy and China's Belt and Road Initiative, jointly implement the construction of the fourth phase of the Galkynysh gas field, consolidate existing achievements, and actively expand new cooperation space in the field of natural gas, he said.
Serdar Berdimuhamedov said the Turkmen side attaches great importance to the comprehensive strategic partnership with China, and is willing to deepen traditional friendship with China, giving priority to natural gas and strengthening practical cooperation in various fields.
Turkmenistan highly appraises the four global initiatives - the Global Governance Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative - proposed by China, and will strongly support China in successfully hosting the third China-Central Asia Summit, he said.
Ding and Turkmenistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov co-chaired the seventh meeting of the China-Turkmenistan Cooperation Committee, where they had an in-depth exchange of views and planned the key points of cooperation for the next stage.
Both sides agreed to strengthen high-level political guidance, deepen the alignment of development strategies, promote more achievements in all-round cooperation between the two countries, and make greater contributions to building a China-Turkmenistan community with a shared future.
They signed cooperation documents, including a General Agreement on the basic principles of cooperation in the gas sector and a five-year cooperation program for 2026–2030, and witnessed the signing of cooperation documents in areas such as mutual establishment of cultural centers, transportation and logistics, artificial intelligence, science and technology, and traditional medicine.
Ding also addressed the opening ceremony of a symposium marking the 20th anniversary of strategic cooperation between China and Turkmenistan in the natural gas sector, and attended the unveiling ceremony of the Luban Workshop in Ashgabat.
New gas field project to further boost China-Turkmenistan energy cooperation: Chinese vice premier
