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.