The National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, departed on 17 March for a friendly visit to the People’s Republic of China at the invitation of Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China. This was reported by the state news agency TDH.

Before his departure from Ashgabat International Airport, Hero Arkadag held a meeting with leaders of political parties and public organisations. It was noted that relations between Turkmenistan and China have reached a new level and cover a wide range of areas.

During the talks, emphasis was placed on the development of inter-parliamentary and inter-party ties, as well as on the convergence of the parties’ approaches to issues on the international agenda, including initiatives in the fields of security, development and dialogue.

The role of cultural and humanitarian cooperation, including in the field of education, was highlighted. It was noted that Turkmen students are studying at Chinese universities, and bilateral contacts in this area continue to expand.

Hero Arkdag arrived in Beijing, where an official meeting attended by representatives of both countries took place at Beijing Capital International Airport.

It is noted that Turkmenistan and China are actively cooperating in the energy, transport, trade and high-tech sectors. The parties are coordinating their efforts on the international stage, including within the framework of the UN and the ‘Central Asia–China’ format.

The friendly visit is continuing.