Oriented on making people closer

On June 17, in Astana, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov met with Chairman of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping as part of the second Central Asia-China summit.

During the conversation, the parties emphasized the high level of political trust and strategic partnership between the two countries, noting the broad potential for further development of cooperation. Xi Jinping stated China's readiness to work with Turkmenistan to maximize the opportunities for partnership, including within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Revival of the Great Silk Road strategy.

Particular attention was paid to increasing cooperation in the field of natural gas between the two countries, expanding interaction in non-resource sectors of the economy, such as mechanical engineering and the textile industry, as well as improving the trade structure. The heads of state agreed to intensify cultural exchanges, accelerate the creation of cultural centers, deepen cooperation in the field of education and expand contacts between peoples.

Security issues were also discussed, including cooperation in the field of cybersecurity. China expressed support for Turkmenistan's aspiration to join the World Trade Organization and positively assessed the country's efforts to ensure regional stability as a permanent neutral state.

Serdar Berdimuhamedov, in turn, emphasized the strategic importance of the comprehensive development of Turkmen-Chinese relations and expressed readiness to expand bilateral partnership both at the level of economic cooperation and in international organizations, including the UN.

Following the meeting, the heads of state took part in the signing ceremony of the intergovernmental Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation, the press service of the Chinese leader reported.

ORIENT

Photo: chinadaily.com