ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, October 26. Turkmenistan and China are important players in the international energy market and have huge potential for cooperation, so the countries need to actively create new growth points in the energy sector, Trend reports.
This was stated by the President of China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), Hou Qijun, at the 28th International Conference and Exhibition 'Oil and Gas of Turkmenistan—2023' (OGT-2023).
"We need to actively develop mutually beneficial cooperation in the gas sector. As of September of this year, the volume of natural gas trade between Turkmenistan and China amounted to 380 billion cubic meters with a turnover of $76 billion," he said.
Turkmen-Chinese cooperation in the gas sector has significantly contributed to the economic development and social security of the two countries, the head of the corporation noted.
The head of CNPC also expressed the opinion that the transition to carbon neutrality will take time and that the world will depend on fossil fuels for a long time, while natural gas will retain a key role due to its environmental friendliness and efficiency.
Meanwhile, earlier, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov of Turkmenistan and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed during talks in Beijing to accelerate the construction of the fourth branch of the gas pipeline from Turkmenistan to China.