Chinese Ambassador to Turkmenistan Ji Shumin announced at a press conference in Ashgabat that as of March 1, 2026, Turkmenistan has exported a total of 460 billion cubic meters of natural gas to China. This press conference commemorating the 20th anniversary of cooperation in the natural gas field between China and Turkey reviewed the achievements and prospects of oil and gas industry cooperation between the two countries. From the completion of the first natural gas pipeline in 2006 to the current cumulative gas transmission of 460 billion cubic meters, China Turkey energy cooperation is moving from scale expansion to deeper level capacity building.

Accumulated gas transmission of 460 billion yuan

According to official data, as of March 1, 2026, Turkmenistan has exported a total of 460 billion cubic meters of natural gas to China. For the past 14 consecutive years, China has been Turkmenistan's largest trading partner and major export market for natural gas. Turkmenistan has always been a key country supplying natural gas to China, and cooperation in the field of natural gas between China and Turkey has always been the cornerstone of bilateral relations. This press conference aims to commemorate the 20th anniversary of cooperation in the natural gas field between China and Turkey, with a focus on reviewing the achievements and prospects of oil and gas industry cooperation between the two countries.

New project deals with billions of cubic meters

The next stage of cooperation between the two parties is the fourth phase project to develop the giant gas field Galkynysh. The project is undertaken by China National Petroleum Corporation, and President Berdymukhamedov recently approved the relevant contract signed between Turkmenistan National Gas Company and China National Petroleum Corporation. According to the contract, the subsidiary of China National Petroleum Corporation will be responsible for designing and constructing a commercial natural gas processing plant with an annual processing capacity of 10 billion cubic meters. The contract also includes drilling high-capacity production wells to meet the gas supply needs of the new facility. The implementation of this new project marks the extension of China Turkey natural gas cooperation from pipeline gas transmission to the entire industry chain of gas field development, processing and treatment. Keywords: the Belt and Road news network, natural gas transmission

Energy cooperation takes to a new level

Over the past 20 years, China Turkey natural gas cooperation has grown from scratch, from small to large, and has become a model of energy cooperation in the joint construction of the the Belt and Road. As an important natural gas producer in Central Asia, Turkmenistan has deeply connected with China, the world's largest energy consumption market, achieving complementary advantages in resources and markets. With the advancement of the fourth phase of the Galjinesh gas field project, cooperation between the two sides in natural gas exploration and development, processing, pipeline transportation, and other fields will become closer, providing stable energy security for the economic and social development of the two countries and injecting more certainty into the global energy market.Editor/Gao Xue