On the morning of June 29, the opening ceremony of the "Turkmenistan WTO Knowledge Workshop," a foreign aid training program hosted by the Ministry of Commerce and undertaken by the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE), Beijing, was held in the International Conference Hall of Chengxin Building. President Zhao Zhongxiu attended the ceremony and delivered a speech.

President Zhao extended a warm welcome and sincere greetings to the workshop participants. He stated that the ancient Silk Road has closely linked China and Turkmenistan, and over the past 33 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the two countries have achieved a series of strategically significant breakthrough achievements in cooperation across multiple fields. In 2024, the bilateral trade volume exceeded 18 billion US dollars, an increase of more than 600 times compared with the early days of diplomatic relations. The China-Turkmenistan Natural Gas Pipeline Project has cumulatively transmitted over 300 billion cubic meters of gas, meeting nearly 10% of China's natural gas demand and creating stable foreign exchange income for Turkmenistan, making it a landmark project of energy cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). He emphasized that economic cooperation between China and Turkmenistan is extending from traditional energy fields to emerging sectors such as digital economy, green energy, and agricultural science and technology. It is hoped that through exchanges, discussions, field visits, and studies, the workshop will build a platform toshare development experience, solutions, and wisdom in key areas, inject new momentum into bilateral trade and economic cooperation, and help create a development pattern featuring mutual benefit, balance, coordination, inclusiveness, win-win cooperation, and common prosperity.

In his speech, Wang Bo, Dean of the School of International Development Cooperation, stated that cooperation between China and Turkmenistan under the WTO framework is increasingly deepened. He expressed expectations that the participants will gain an in-depth understanding of China's experience in joining the WTO and its foreign trade policies through this training, deepen China-Turkmenistan friendship, promote exchanges and cooperation between the two countries in trade and investment fields, and work together to build a community with a shared future for mankind.

Shamurat Meredov, representative of the participants and Deputy Director of the WTO Cooperation Department, Ministry of Finance and Economy of Turkmenistan, stated that China is a model of successfully joining and effectively participating in WTO affairs. While integrating into the global system, China has maintained a vigorous economic momentum and continuously improved people's well-being. Its valuable experience is of inestimable value for Turkmenistan to advance its strategy of joining the WTO. After his speech, the Turkmen participants presented traditional costumes and books symbolizing friendship to the Chinese side, expressing their sincere expectations and best wishes for cooperation.

This workshop has attracted 25 officials and experts from 20 departments of Turkmenistan, including the Parliament, the Cabinet, the Ministry of Finance and Economy, the Ministry of Justice, and the General Customs Administration. It aims to strengthen cooperation and exchanges between China and Turkmenistan in economic and trade fields and further promote Turkmenistan's full integration into the global trading system.