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Central Asia
ChinaDiplomacy

China, Turkmenistan upgrade ties as Xi Jinping urges more cooperation on energy

  • President tells Turkmen leader Serdar Berdimuhamedov that expanding natural gas cooperation is in line with both countries’ strategic interests
  • China relies on imports of oil and gas and securing a stable supply has long been high on the agenda of policymakers

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Chinese President Xi Jinping and visiting Turkmen leader Serdar Berdimuhamedov at a welcome ceremony in Beijing on Friday. Photo: Xinhua
Laura Zhou
China and Turkmenistan elevated their diplomatic ties on Friday as Chinese President Xi Jinping rolled out the red carpet for his Central Asian counterpart in an apparent effort to boost energy security.
With the upgrade to a “comprehensive strategic partnership”, China’s relations with all five Central Asian nations are now at the same diplomatic level, signalling more strategic cooperation not only in trade but also in security and politics.
Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov – the 41-year-old son of former leader Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov – was the second foreign leader hosted by Xi in Beijing since the start of this year, after Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr.
Xi Jinping emphasised the two countries’ “shared vision, similar goals and linked interests” in talks with Serdar Berdimuhamedov at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Photo: Xinhua
Xi Jinping emphasised the two countries’ “shared vision, similar goals and linked interests” in talks with Serdar Berdimuhamedov at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Photo: Xinhua

During their meeting at the Great Hall of the People, Xi emphasised the two countries’ “shared vision, similar goals and linked interests”.

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“China and Turkmenistan should join hands and work together … to bring into play our complementary advantages, explore the potential for cooperation and achieve common development,” Xi told Berdimuhamedov, according to a readout from the Chinese foreign ministry.

The Turkmen leader’s visit comes as major economies, especially those in Europe and East Asia, are grappling with an energy shortage sparked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last February, raising fears of a global economic contraction this year.
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Securing a stable energy supply has long been high on the agenda of policymakers in China, which has relied on imports of oil and gas to fuel the world’s second-largest economy.

On Friday, Xi told Berdimuhamedov that the two countries should “prioritise energy cooperation”.

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