ISTANBUL

Turkmenistan’s national leader Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov has noted the importance of joint projects with China to develop the country’s Galkynysh gas field as he met with President Xi Jinping in Beijing.

According to a statement released Thursday by the Turkmen Foreign Ministry on the meeting held a day earlier, Berdimuhamedov said that the conditions for the further development and strengthening of the partnership between Ashgabat and Beijing in the international arena have been created through the consistent efforts of both parties.

Berdimuhamedov, the chairman of the People's Council, said that Turkmenistan supports and will continue to support China's efforts to advance international initiatives within the UN, emphasizing the importance of its global initiatives related to various issues, including security.

Regarding the energy sector, Berdimuhamedov noted the “importance of joint projects to develop the Galkynysh gas field,” the statement said.

He also said that the alignment of Turkmenistan's Revival of the Great Silk Road strategy with China's Belt and Road Initiative “opens up new opportunities for cooperation in the transportation and logistics sector.”

For his part, Xi noted the importance of Turkmenistan's initiatives within the UN “aimed at strengthening global peace and ensuring sustainable development,” expressing China's continuous support for these proposals.

Xi also stressed that "Turkmenistan is a reliable partner of China in Central Asia, and emphasized that China highly values and supports our country's policy of permanent neutrality,” the statement added.

'Expand scale of cooperation in natural gas sector'

China and Turkmenistan should "expand the scale of cooperation in the natural gas sector, and elevate trade and investment levels," Xi noted.

Emphasizing "mutual support" as the "core essence" of China-Turkmenistan comprehensive strategic partnership, he said the two sides should accelerate alignment between the Belt and Road Initiative and Turkmenistan's development strategy.

"Regardless of how the international situation evolves, China will always support Turkmenistan in safeguarding its national independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity," he told Gurbanguly.

Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a separate meeting with his Turkmen counterpart Rashid Meredov.

"China and Turkmenistan should carry forward friendly tradition, firmly support each other, and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation," Wang told Rashid.

Situated in the Central Asian nation's southeastern Mary region, the Galkynysh gas field is one of the largest gas fields in the world.

Berdimuhamedov arrived in the Chinese capital, Beijing, on Tuesday as part of a three-day visit to China.