Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Beijing with Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, National Leader of the Turkmen People, as the two sides pledged to strengthen alignment of development strategies, expand natural gas cooperation and broaden practical collaboration in areas like connectivity. Berdimuhamedov's three-day trip marks the first visit to China by a foreign leader since this year's national two sessions.
On Wednesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Beijing with Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, National Leader of the Turkmen People and Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan. Berdimuhamedov, who served as the country's president from 2007 to 2022, is on a three-day trip through Thursday, marking the first visit to China by a foreign leader since the conclusion of this year's national two sessions, during which the outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) was reviewed and approved. Xi said its implementation will lay a solid foundation for China to basically realize socialist modernization and benefit the rest of the world. Noting that this year is the Year of the Horse in the Chinese calendar and observed in Turkmenistan under the motto 'Independent Neutral Turkmenistan — the Homeland of Purposeful Winged Horses,' Xi expressed readiness to advance China-Turkmenistan relations 'in the spirit of the Akhal-Teke horse — always pressing ahead and taking the lead.' China and Turkmenistan established diplomatic relations in 1992. In 2023, they elevated ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership and decided to build a community with a shared future. Xi stressed mutual support as the core, pledging China's commitment to Turkmenistan's independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and permanent neutrality policy as a reliable partner regardless of international changes. He called for accelerating alignment of the Belt and Road Initiative with Turkmenistan's Great Silk Road revival strategy, expanding natural gas cooperation, boosting trade and investment, and broadening cooperation in connectivity, agriculture, artificial intelligence, digital economy and clean energy. Xi urged faster progress on the Luban Workshop and traditional Chinese medicine center, plus mutual cultural centers, and efforts against terrorism, separatism and extremism. Amid global challenges, China stands ready to uphold the UN's status, true multilateralism and fair global governance. Berdimuhamedov said he was pleased to visit China, whose prosperity benefits the world, and under Xi's leadership, ties have grown steadily with fruitful cooperation. Turkmenistan will uphold the one-China principle, align strategies, expand energy, trade and connectivity cooperation, thank China for neutrality support, praise Xi's four global initiatives, and enhance multilateral coordination.
