In October last year, the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslakhaty of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, at the request of the Chinese state media, answered questions from Wang Jiu, press officer of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Turkmenistan.
– Hello, dear Chairman of the Halk Maslakhaty of Turkmenistan. Thank you for taking the time to talk. In 2022, Turkmenistan solemnly celebrated the 31st anniversary of independence, and taking this opportunity, let me once again congratulate you on this holiday. Now let me ask you a few questions. 2022 marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Turkmenistan. Over the years, political cooperation has been constantly strengthening, and exchanges of high-level visits have become more frequent. In 2013, China and Turkmenistan established a strategic partnership. In November 2021, both sides signed the “Program on cooperation between the Government of Turkmenistan and the Government of the PRC for the period 2021-2025”. How do you assess the development of Chinese-Turkmen relations?
First of all, let me thank the leadership of China’s state media for taking the initiative to organize this interview. Communication with such authoritative and respected publications, which have a multi-million audience both in China itself and far beyond its borders, will certainly contribute to even greater mutual understanding between the two countries, and will make it possible to better understand the essence and nature of the interaction between Turkmenistan and the People’s Republic of China, its priorities and perspectives.
As for my assessment of the Turkmen-Chinese relations, I would call them exemplary.
And there is no exaggeration in this. Our states can be proud of the achieved level of mutual trust and understanding. Effective cooperation mechanisms have been established in various fields, a solid legal framework has been created, fruitful contacts are being made at the governmental level, ties are expanding between business structures, public organizations, cultural and scientific figures, along party and parliamentary lines.
There is a lively, creative process of rapprochement between the two states and peoples, strengthening the foundation of friendship and cooperation for decades to come.
The current content of Turkmen-Chinese relations is due to complete mutual understanding both in terms of views on the priorities and prospects of bilateral partnership, and on global development trends. The most important factor in this is the similarity or coincidence of our approaches to the problems of ensuring universal stability and security, countering political, national and religious extremism, and terrorist threats.
Together with China, we stand for equality and justice in international affairs, for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, and support the measures taken by the world community to effectively respond to global challenges.
In September 2013, by signing the Joint Declaration on the Establishment of Strategic Partnership Relations, we moved to a new, higher level of cooperation. This document forms the basic framework of relations between Turkmenistan and China, determining the nature, direction and content of bilateral relations.
And here I would like to especially note the support that the PRC provides to Turkmenistan in the international arena, and to the initiatives that our country takes in the United Nations. In turn, Turkmenistan always clearly and unambiguously formulates its approaches to issues relevant to our Chinese partners, including those related to the territorial integrity and unity of the People’s Republic of China. We firmly adhere to the “one China” policy and oppose any manifestations of separatism.
I also consider it necessary to state the commonality of our positions on such important issues as the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, reforming the UN and its Security Council, the peaceful revival of Afghanistan, and the adoption of effective measures to ensure energy and environmental security.
A special place on the agenda of the Turkmen-Chinese dialogue is occupied by the discussion of the situation in Central Asia. Here, the basic attitudes of our countries are also close: both Turkmenistan and the People’s Republic of China are in favor of creating a strong security system in the region based on a multilateral balance of interests and commitment to political and diplomatic methods for solving emerging problems. In these matters, both Turkmenistan and China act as responsible members of the world community and make a significant practical contribution to the creation of regional mechanisms for interaction. In this regard, I would like to especially note the constructive role of China in the regional processes, both political and economic, and the balance of its approaches to cooperation in Central Asia.
– Brilliant successes have been achieved in the field of business cooperation between China and Turkmenistan. Now the in-depth integration of China’s initiative “One Belt, One Road” with the strategy of Turkmenistan “Revival of the Great Silk Road” is actively underway. How do you assess the current state and prospects of bilateral cooperation in energy, transport and other areas?
– Relations between Turkmenistan and China have a long history. Throughout its length, a beneficial process of mutual knowledge, penetration of cultures, traditions, and worldviews took place between our peoples. The “Great Silk Road”, which connected our countries, was a bridge not only for mutually beneficial trade exchange, but also for broad civilizational communication. We, the heirs and continuers of this unique experience, are building our ties in the current conditions, developing cooperation, and ensuring the continuity of our relations.
In modern conditions, the presence of objective mutual interests allows Turkmenistan and China to successfully build up partnership in the context of the implementation of the above strategies.
Both of them are designed to give a powerful impetus to economic development in Eurasia, uniting vast expanses from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean on modern principles, forming interconnected production and technological cycles and industrial belts, contributing to the solution of many social problems, improving the quality of life and the well-being of peoples.
I am convinced that the cornerstone of the new look of geo-economics on our continent should be the diversification of cooperation. This is an objective process, and in it any constructive ideas, strategies and initiatives are designed to complement each other based on a combination of interests and long-term goals. In this context, I believe that the “Revival of the Great Silk Road” project, in its philosophy and geo-economic meaning, is connected with the Chinese global initiative “One Belt, One Road”.
The most important priority of cooperation between Turkmenistan and China is the fuel and energy sector. Which, of course, is understandable: our states have great potential here. This was evidenced by the construction and commissioning at the end of 2009 of the strategic gas pipeline Turkmenistan-China.
The implementation of this project was an example of a true partnership based on equality, awareness of mutual advantages, on a large-scale vision of the prospects and opportunities that opened up with the start of the gas pipeline. This is also a real, practical embodiment of the goal of ensuring a balance of interests of all participants in pipeline energy projects – both producers, and transit countries, and consumers.
Today we are working on issues of increasing the volume of supplies of Turkmen natural gas, taking into account the growing needs of the Chinese economy and the possibilities of the resource base of Turkmenistan.
In this regard, we are ready for a substantive discussion of the possibilities of building the 4th pipeline route from Turkmenistan to China.
Both sides attach great importance to the development of transport cooperation. Here we consider China as the most important partner in the Asia-Pacific region, largely taking into account the fact that this area is today the strategic priority of our entire foreign economic policy.
Currently, Turkmenistan, together with partners, is creating an extensive network of transport, transit and logistics infrastructure of a combined type along the East-West and North-South lines.
In the future, it will include transit corridors leading to the regions of the Caspian Sea, the Black Sea basin, and the Baltic. This opens up an optimal land route to the European and Middle Eastern markets through Central Asia from the Asia-Pacific region. I am convinced that huge opportunities for cooperation are opening up for Turkmenistan and China in this segment. This is especially relevant in connection with the implementation in Turkmenistan of major national projects in the transport and communications sectors, in the reconstruction of coastal infrastructure in the Caspian Sea.
Our efforts should be aimed at achieving the goals that we are talking about with our Chinese partners, namely: the full disclosure of the potential of transportation from China through Turkmenistan to Europe, the Middle East by all modes of transport, including railways and roads, air traffic, and other infrastructure systems. These systems should also include logistics terminals at hubs, one of which could be the port of Turkmenbashi on the Caspian Sea.
All these issues are fruitfully discussed within the framework of the Turkmen-Chinese Committee for Cooperation, at a meeting of which in November 2021, 5 documents were signed, including the Program of Cooperation between the Government of Turkmenistan and the Government of the People’s Republic of China you mentioned for a period of 5 years. We regard this Programme, adopted at the initiative of President Xi Jinping, as a solid foundation for further progress.
Therefore, I look to the future with optimism and highly appreciate the prospects for our cooperation. Its potential is enormous, and the chosen partnership model allows us to fully ensure the conditions for the implementation of our joint plans.
– The important motto of Turkmenistan is “The state is for the people!” and the concepts put forward by the Chinese Communist Party “Man Above All”, “Government for the sake of the people” are the same. How do you assess the concepts and achievements of the CCP in public administration?
“These achievements are unique, and the decisive merit in them of the Communist Party of China is indisputable. In a short period of time by historical standards, China has become a leader in world economic and scientific and technological development, ensuring a consistently high increase in industrial production and the implementation of large-scale social programs.
China has managed to achieve an outstanding result – to overcome poverty, and today your country is confidently moving towards the creation of a welfare state.
There is no doubt that such grandiose achievements were made possible by the political will, determination and unerring strategic course of the Chinese Communist Party, with the support and understanding of the Chinese people.
The wisdom and far-sightedness of the CPC leadership allowed the country to embark on the path of national revival and prosperity, and to follow it consistently and steadily, in an atmosphere of stability and self-confidence.
It is no coincidence that the domestic and foreign policy of the Communist Party of China has earned your country great prestige and respect in the world, and the support of the vast majority of states on the planet, including Turkmenistan.
– How do you assess the achievements of President Xi Jinping in public administration? The Concept of the Chairman of the People’s Republic of China “Building a Community of a Common Destiny for Mankind” includes a Community of a Common Destiny of China and Turkmenistan. What impact did this concept have on the development of bilateral ties?
– As for the first part of your question, I would answer it like this: Chinese President Xi Jinping is, of course, one of the most prominent and major state and political figures of our time. An entire era in the history of the Chinese people is associated with his name, personifying the political, economic and technological power of modern China, adherence to the principles and firmness in defending the country’s national interests in the international arena, and responsibility and foresight in relations with other states.
And taking this opportunity, I would like to express my great gratitude to the President of the People’s Republic of China for his invaluable contribution to the development of a strategic partnership with Turkmenistan, constant care and attention to relations with our country.
It is logical that the Concept of President Xi Jinping “Building a Community of a Common Destiny for Humanity” includes a Community of a Common Destiny of China and Turkmenistan. This is a very capacious and deep formula. It reflects the commonality of our states in the vision of their strategic development priorities, approaches and goals in building a fair world order based on equality, respect, non-interference, the establishment of understandable and inviolable principles based on the responsibility of each country for the fate of all mankind. World order without dividing lines, artificial civilizational faults, narrowly understood national or group interests.
The concept of “Building a Community with a Common Destiny for Humanity” in this sense provides great opportunities for the development of bilateral relations between Turkmenistan and China in ensuring peace and security on the planet, and creates the basic prerequisites for effective joint work in the international arena on the agenda of Sustainable Development, successfully overcoming new threats and calls.
– The situation in the world remains tense and difficult. You put forward the important initiative “Dialogue is a Guarantee of Peace”, President Xi Jinping put forward the “Global Development Initiative” and the “Global Security Initiative”. Please tell us about the relevance of these initiatives for the world and the region.
– The initiative of Turkmenistan and the initiative of the Chairman of the People’s Republic of China, in essence, have a common ideological and political basis. They contain a call to all countries and leaders to soberly and responsibly comprehend the realities of the modern world, to think about what further escalation and military-political rivalry can lead to, to realize that humanity has approached a dangerous line, which will be followed by the demolition of the entire architecture of global security with unpredictable consequences.
The initiatives of Turkmenistan and China are dictated primarily by concern for millions of ordinary people who are far from politics, who need peace, stability, the opportunity to work, and guarantees of a calm, peaceful future. The relevance of our initiatives, in my opinion, is already obvious.
Today, Turkmenistan, together with China, is doing everything possible so that these concepts become the determining factors of international and regional politics, and create conditions for moving away from the mentioned dangerous line and making responsible decisions only on the peaceful, political and diplomatic settlement of conflicts and contradictions. Of course, on the principles of equality and respect for the legitimate interests of the parties.
– Could you share your expectations regarding the future development of the CPC?
– The congress further strengthened the role of the CPC as the driving force of the Chinese people, ensured the continuity and continuation of the strategic course taken by the party, aimed at further economic growth and the development of China’s social sphere, improving the well-being of people, strengthening the country’s international position as one of the recognized leaders in the cause. preserving and ensuring universal peace, stability and development, a friend and reliable partner of all peace-loving forces on the planet, a conductor of the principles of equality, justice and mutual respect in interstate relations.
I have no doubt that its creative results will have a huge beneficial effect not only on the development of China itself, but also on the situation around the world.
– Dear Chairman of the Halk Maslakhaty of Turkmenistan, thank you for your time for the interview. Thank you very much!
– I also thank you for organizing this meeting! Thank you! /// nCa, 17 May 2023 [Cross post from TDH, 16 May 2023]