China–Turkmenistan relations are the bilateral relationship between China and Turkmenistan. China was the first country to establish diplomatic relations with Turkmenistan after it declared independence.[1] On January 6, 1992, China signed communiqués on the establishment of diplomatic relations with Turkmenistan.[2]
History
China is by far Turkmenistan's largest trading partner. In 2020, the China exports to Turkmenistan were valued at $445 US million and Turkmenistan exports to China were valued at $5.3 US billion.[3] In 2022, China accounted for 65% of Turkmenistan's total trade.[4]
Turkmenistan exports significant amounts of natural gas to China, with more than half of these exports going through the Central Asia–China gas pipeline.[8] On 3 April 2006, China and Turkmenistan signed a framework agreement on a potential pipeline construction and long-term gas supply.[9] In June 2007, during his visit to China, Turkmeni President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow signed an accord to speed up implementation of the Turkmeni-Chinese gas pipeline project.[10] In July 2007, it was formally announced that Turkmenistan will join the original Kazakhstan–China oil pipeline project.[11] The whole pipeline was inaugurated on 14 December 2009.[12]
The pipeline project allowed Turkmenistan to significantly decrease its previous dependence on Russia; previously, nearly 70% of Turkmenistan's gas exports transited through Russian pipelines.[13]
^Vakulchuk, Roman and Indra Overland (2019) “China’s Belt and Road Initiative through the Lens of Central Asia”, in Fanny M. Cheung and Ying-yi Hong (eds) Regional Connection under the Belt and Road Initiative. The Prospects for Economic and Financial Cooperation. London: Routledge, p. 125.
