China–Turkmenistan relations

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]

China–Turkmenistan relations

China	Turkmenistan

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]

In July 2019, UN ambassadors of 37 countries, including Turkmenistan, signed a joint letter to the United Nations Human Rights Council defending China's persecution of Uyghurs.^[5][6] Turkmenistan was one of 16 countries that defended China in 2019 but did not do so in 2020.^[7]

Energy

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]