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Trade turnover between Turkmenistan and China exceeded $10 billion in 2025
22.01.2026In 2025, trade turnover between Turkmenistan and China reached $10.046 billion, according to the online publication ‘Business Turkmenistan’, citing China's General Administration of Customs. In December of the same year, mutual trade amounted to $879.9 million. The bulk of trade turnover was accounted for by Turkmen exports. From January to December, Turkmenistan supplied goods worth $8.446 billion to China, while imports of Chinese goods to Turkmenistan amounted to about $1.599 billion. Separately, China imported natural gas worth $8.41 billion from Turkmenistan in 2025.
The UN has published documents on international events involving Turkmenistan
22.01.2026The final documents of two international events involving Turkmenistan have been published as official materials of the UN General Assembly and Security Council during the 80th session. This was reported by the online publication ‘Business Turkmenistan’, citing the Permanent Mission of Turkmenistan to the UN. The first document summarises the results of the International Conference ‘The Role of Women in Modern Society: Promoting International Cooperation for Sustainable Development,’ addressing issues of gender equality, expanding international cooperation, and women's contribution to sustainable development. The second document contains the Ashgabat Declaration of the International Forum on Peace and Trust, timed to coincide with the International Year of Peace and Trust 2025, International Neutrality Day and the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan's Permanent Neutrality. The declaration emphasises the importance of dialogue, trust and neutrality for strengthening peace and stability.
The ‘Nebitdagnebit’ oil and gas department demonstrates high performance
21.01.2026The ‘Nebitdagnebit’ oil and gas department in the Balkan velayat demonstrated strong economic results in 2025. Total oil production exceeded 668,654 tonnes. This was reported by the news website Turkmenportal, citing the newspaper ‘Turkmenistan’. At the same time, about 43,664 tonnes of ‘black gold’ were produced in excess of the plan, which allowed oil workers to fulfil the annual target by 106.99%. In January 2026, the ‘Nebitdagnebit’ department, together with foreign partners and service enterprises of the ‘Türkmennebit’ State Concern, continues large-scale work on the industrial development of underground productive formations.
A media group has been established in Turkmenistan to cover the events of 2026
21.01.2026The Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan hosted a conference dedicated to media coverage of sporting and cultural events in 2026. This was reported by the publication ‘Turkmenistan: Golden age’. During the meeting, the creation of a special media group was announced. It consists of 12 teachers and 76 students from relevant faculties of five universities in the country: the Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, the International University for the Humanities and Development, the Magtymguly Turkmen State University, the Turkmen State Institute of Culture, and the Turkmen State Institute of Physical Culture and Sports. The participants discussed the tasks of the new team, its working format and the organisation of training sessions for young journalists. The training will focus on developing professional skills and providing timely coverage of events planned for 2026. It was noted that the work of the media group will contribute to high-quality information coverage of events, as well as the development of international and humanitarian ties. The creation of the group is seen as a step towards strengthening the potential of young people and expanding their participation in public and international activities.
Turkmenistan university receives 190 textbooks from Chinese Embassy
21.01.2026The Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Turkmenistan has donated 190 copies of educational literature on Chinese language, history and culture to the International University for the Humanities and Development. This was reported by the newspaper ‘Neutral Turkmenistan’, according to Turkmenportal. The collection includes textbooks, dictionaries and thematic publications for students of different levels of proficiency. Among the books donated are Xi Jinping's four-volume work ‘The Governance of China’ in Chinese and Russian, as well as works on the political system of modern China. These include ‘The Chinese System: Governing China in a New Era’ and ‘Witness to China's Reform and Opening Up: Series of 40 Celebrities.’ A significant part of the collection consists of ‘Modern Chinese’ sets for beginner, intermediate and advanced levels with exercises and audio materials. The library also received frequency dictionaries for all six levels of the HSK exam, the Xinhua Chinese Character Dictionary, and phraseological and thematic dictionaries. A separate section is dedicated to publications on Chinese culture, including poetry, geography, traditions, tea culture, and fiction.
The Ambassador of Turkmenistan met with the Secretary General of the SCO
21.01.2026On 20 January, a meeting was held at the Embassy of Turkmenistan in the People's Republic of China between the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkmenistan, Parahat Durdyev, and the Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Nurlan Yermekbayev. This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan. The parties discussed the expansion of cooperation between Turkmenistan and the SCO. The Ambassador congratulated the Secretary General on the New Year and wished him success in implementing the Organisation's tasks. Parahat Durdyev noted the multifaceted nature of the SCO's work and the high level of interaction with Turkmenistan. He provided information on the events planned by the Turkmen side in 2026, as well as on the preparations for the 35th anniversary of Turkmenistan's independence. Nurlan Yermekbayev expressed his gratitude for the invitation and opportunity to participate in the Forum dedicated to the International Year of Peace and Trust, International Neutrality Day and the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan's Permanent Neutrality. He also recalled his meeting with the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. At the end of the meeting, the parties confirmed the potential for developing cooperation in the trade, economic, transport, logistics and humanitarian spheres.
Turkmenistan university becomes finalist in THE Awards Asia in STEM
21.01.2026The Oguz Han University of Engineering and Technology in Turkmenistan has been shortlisted for THE Awards Asia 2026 in the ‘Research Project of the Year: STEM’ category. This was reported by the publication ‘Turkmenistan: Golden age’. The university has previously been recognised by THE Awards Asia. In 2025, it was among the top eight finalists in the ‘Student Recruitment Campaign of the Year’ category. This year, the university has been recognised for its scientific research and development of STEM education. Experts noted the practical significance of its developments and contribution to the development of engineering and high-tech fields. According to the organisers, more than 500 applications were submitted in 10 categories. Eighty universities from 17 countries and territories made it to the final. The winners will be announced on 22 April in Hong Kong at a ceremony during the THE Asian University Summit. The decision was made by experts from Times Higher Education. Eight universities were selected in this category.
The President of Turkmenistan addressed the participants of the SPECA Economic Forum
21.01.2026The President of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedov, addressed participants at the Economic Forum, which is being held in Ashgabat as part of the UN Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA) Week. This was reported by the state news agency TDH. The forum is being held in the capital of Turkmenistan as part of the UN Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA) Week. The greeting noted that the event is aimed at developing cooperation between the states participating in the programme. The President of Turkmenistan emphasised that the SPECA countries support the expansion of the programme's agenda. These include projects in the fields of e-commerce, digitalisation, ‘green’ growth, energy interconnectivity and transport integration in Eurasia. Turkmenistan, which will chair SPECA in 2025, proposed the creation of an effective regional market for goods, services, investment and innovation. Turkmenistan's international activities in the field of sustainable energy were noted separately. The UN General Assembly adopted three relevant resolutions on the country's initiative. It was also proposed to focus the work of the SPECA profile group on key issues of energy, water resources and ecology. Forum participants will be able to familiarise themselves with Turkmenistan's economic indicators, investment strategy, industrial and innovation policy and the introduction of modern technologies, as well as the country's potential over the years of independence. The address emphasises that during its chairmanship of SPECA, Turkmenistan has put forward initiatives for the sustainable development of the region, including issues relating to the Caspian Sea. The forum is seen as a platform for dialogue, joint decision-making and discussion of the SPECA Development Concept until 2030.
Kyrgyzstan's champion ‘Bars’ has signed a prized footballer from Turkmenistan
21.01.2026The ‘Bars’ football club from Kyrgyzstan has signed a contract with 25-year-old Turkmen midfielder Teymur Charyev. This was reported by the news website Turkmenportal. T. Charyev is the most expensive footballer in Turkmenistan, with an estimated value of €250,000. He began his playing career at FC ‘Energetika Mary’, then played for the Kyrgyz team ‘Abdysh-Ata’ (66 matches) and the Belarusian ‘Torpedo-BelAZ’ (35 games, 1 goal, 2 assists). ‘Bars’, founded in 2024 in the Issyk-Kul region, sensationally became the Kyrgyzstan champions in 2025, defeating ‘Talant’ 2-1 in the decisive round and earning the right to play in the AFC Challenge League 2026/27.
The CIS symbol turns 30
21.01.2026It has been 30 years since the emblem and flag of the Commonwealth of Independent States were approved. The regulation on symbols was adopted on 19 January 1996, according to the MIR24 internet portal. The emblem is a blue circle with a white composition of vertical lines and a gold circle in the centre. The author of the symbols is Alexander Grigoriyev, a resident of St. Petersburg. According to him, more than 350 entries from various republics were submitted to the competition. Over 100 sketches were presented in the Catherine Hall of the Tauride Palace in St. Petersburg during the Assembly session on 18 March 1994. Alexander Grigoriyev noted that he learned of his victory from a television news broadcast when the Commonwealth flag was first shown publicly. Later, he received official confirmation of the competition results. The blue and white colour scheme symbolises purity of thought, spirituality and nobility, while the golden circle represents warmth, light and the common values of the peoples of the CIS countries. The composition is based on the image of a tree, where the branches represent the participating states and the central core reflects the unifying principle.
Meredov's debut goal contributed to FC ‘Arkadag’s victory at the training camp in Turkey
21.01.202622-year-old Turkmenistan national team forward Dayanch Meredov scored his first goal for ‘Arkadag’ football club in a friendly match during a training camp in Antalya (Turkey). This was reported by the news website Turkmenportal. In the game against Kosovo's ‘Feronikeli’, D. Meredov opened the scoring, and the second goal was scored by Didar Durdyev, the long-time top scorer of the Turkmenistan championship. ‘Arkadag’ won 2-0. D. Meredov joined the club from ‘Kopetdag’ on 6 January, and this match was his debut. ‘Feronikeli’ is in second place in the Kosovo Super League after 18 rounds. ‘Arkadag’ is preparing for the new season at a training camp in Turkey (12 January – 2 February). The first official match will be on 11 February in the 1/8 finals of the AFC Champions League against Saudi Arabia's ‘Al-Nassr’ at the Olympic Stadium in Ashgabat.
‘Kawasaki’ is ready to invest in the modernisation of Turkmenistan's industry
21.01.2026The Japanese company ‘Kawasaki Heavy Industries’ is ready to participate in infrastructure projects in Turkmenistan. This was reported by the online publication ‘Business Turkmenistan’. The company considers the country's investment climate to be favourable and intends to support the modernisation of industry by applying international experience and technology. ‘Kawasaki Heavy Industries’ has already implemented major projects in Turkmenistan, including the construction of a gas chemical plant in the Ahal velayat, the world's first plant to produce petrol from natural gas. The above-mentioned plant processes 1.8 billion cubic metres of gas per year, producing 600,000 tonnes of ECO-93 petrol, 12,000 tonnes of diesel fuel and 115,000 tonnes of liquefied gas.
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