BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 1. The Turkmen-Chinese
business forum held in Ashgabat on April 28-30 was notable less for
the volume of signed contracts and more for the extent of concrete
proposals presented by Chinese enterprises entering the Turkmen
market. Although a comprehensive list of commercial agreements has
not yet been released, the substance of the discussions and the
initiatives announced provide a sufficiently clear framework for
the emerging structure of economic cooperation.
The Chinese delegation comprised more than 200 companies
participating in the forum and the accompanying exhibition in
Ashgabat. The exhibition featured over 70 stands representing
sectors such as construction, agricultural technologies,
telecommunications, and industrial equipment. In total, the event
brought together more than 400 participants, including 48 speakers.
Organizational coordination of the Chinese participation was
undertaken by the China Overseas Development Association (CODA),
which, alongside Turkmen institutions, served as one of the
principal organizers of the forum.
According to CODA President He Zhenwei, Chinese investors have
identified three priority areas for engagement in Turkmenistan. In
the field of environmentally friendly energy, cooperation is
expected to focus on the application of Chinese expertise in the
construction of solar power plants. In agriculture, emphasis will
be placed on the transfer of advanced technologies, while the gas
chemical sector has been designated as a strategic priority aimed
at transitioning from raw material exports toward gas processing
and the production of higher value-added products.
He further emphasized that the forum reflects a transition from
declarative statements to practical implementation, supported by
the favorable conditions established within bilateral
relations.
Among the specific initiatives presented during the forum and
subsequent negotiations is a proposal for the construction of a
solar power plant in Turkmenistan with an estimated capacity of
approximately 300 MW. This proposal was discussed with the
participation of representatives of the Turkmen energy sector and
has been submitted for consideration at the level of the relevant
state authorities.
At the same time, representatives of Chinese energy and
industrial groups, including Shaanxi Yulin Energy Group, expressed
interest in a wider portfolio of projects, ranging from
participation in renewable energy initiatives to coal supply. The
inclusion of coal-related discussions alongside renewable energy
initiatives indicates a multi-vector approach by Chinese companies,
offering Turkmenistan a broad set of energy cooperation options not
limited exclusively to the low-carbon agenda.
Within the industrial component of the discussions, attention
was directed toward the establishment of production capacities
within Turkmenistan. Representatives of Shaanxi Yulin Energy Group
proposed initiatives aimed at localizing the production of higher
value-added goods, including chemical materials and composite
products. In particular, the production of polycarbonate and
magnesium alloys was discussed, reflecting an effort to expand
cooperation beyond a raw-material-based framework toward more
advanced industrial collaboration.
A significant portion of the proposals concerned the oil and gas
sector, which remains a central element of bilateral relations.
Deputy Chairman of Turkmengaz State Concern Myrat Archayev directly
called on Chinese companies during the forum to become more
actively involved in international tenders, including equipment
supplies, implementation of digital production management systems,
and modernization of infrastructure. This concerns not only ongoing
projects such as the development of the Galkynysh field, but also
the gradual introduction of digital solutions in the gas industry,
opening access for Chinese companies to a Turkmenistan's
technological segment.
Equally notable was the expansion of the agenda toward
digitalization and high technologies. The Chinese side proposed
participation in projects related to IT infrastructure and
innovation, complementing previously signed intergovernmental
documents, including agreements in the fields of artificial
intelligence and scientific-technical cooperation for 2026-2028.
This indicates that the technological agenda is no longer purely
declarative and is beginning to take on concrete forms of
interaction.
The Turkmen side, in turn, clearly outlined the priorities
around which the dialogue is being structured. In addition to
energy, these include the development of renewable energy sources,
industrial modernization, the creation of joint ventures, and the
expansion of export potential. A key signal was the statement by
Deputy Minister of Energy of Turkmenistan Serdar Saparov that China
is considered a priority partner in the implementation of renewable
energy projects.
Overall, the outcomes of the Turkmen-Chinese business forum in
Ashgabat reflect not so much the emergence of new declarative
agreements, but rather the consolidation of an already formed trend
toward expanding bilateral cooperation beyond the traditional
energy format. The gas sector remains the foundation of economic
ties; however, the agenda is gradually shifting toward a more
complex and multi-layered model of interaction, including
industrial cooperation, transport infrastructure, digital
technologies, and elements of “green” energy.
At the same time, the nature of the discussions and presented
initiatives shows a gradual increasing complexity of the
partnership structure, where energy is no longer the sole
system-forming element. On this basis, a broader framework of
interaction is emerging, in which Turkmenistan seeks to use Chinese
investment and technology to diversify its economy, while China
aims to strengthen its presence in key sectors of the country’s
economy and enhance its role in shaping regional logistics and
production chains.
In this context, the forum can be seen as another stage in the
institutional deepening of relations between Ashgabat and Beijing,
where the emphasis is gradually shifting from resource exchange
toward a more comprehensive model of economic partnership,
involving industrial development and technological cooperation,
without a radical restructuring of the basic framework of
relations, but with a clear expansion of its sectoral
boundaries.
