On 1 September 2025, 2025, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov, who is on a working visit to China, participated as an honorary guest in the meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization SCO+ format in Tianjin.
The SCO+ format is a unique partnership platform within which the member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization interact with countries that are not members of the Organization but are interested in developing multifaceted fruitful relations. At the same time, it allows to expand the range of participants in cooperation, including observer States, dialogue partners and other invited countries. The main goal of the SCO+ format is to strengthen economic and cultural ties across a wider geographical area.
In his speech at the summit, the President of Turkmenistan emphasized the long tradition of mutual engagement and respect between Turkmenistan and the SCO.
He expressed support for the SCO initiatives, including the Global Governance Initiative voiced by Chinese President Xi Jinping, which aligns with Turkmenistan’s vision.
“We support this Initiative and express our readiness to work together with our Chinese colleagues on its practical implementation,” President Serdar Berdimuhamedov said, stating that the SCO’s principled approaches to strengthening international and regional stability, creating conditions for political and diplomatic dialogue as the basis of interstate relations and resolving complex issues deserve understanding and support.
The main focus of the speech was on economic cooperation with a focus on such areas as transport, logistics, energy, trade and industrial cooperation.
President Berdimuhamedov emphasized economic collaboration, focusing on transport, logistics, energy, trade, and industrial partnerships. He proposed leveraging Turkmenistan’s strategic geographic position to develop East-West and North-South transport corridors, with a particular focus on Caspian Sea routes. The Turkmenbashi International Seaport, he noted, stands ready to facilitate enhanced regional connectivity.
The President underscored the importance of humanitarian cooperation, rooted in shared values and good neighborliness, as a cornerstone for building lasting partnerships. This approach reflects Turkmenistan’s commitment to fostering cultural and social bonds alongside economic initiatives.
Speech by President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov at the Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization
Distinguished President of the People’s Republic of China,
Distinguished Heads of State
and Government, distinguished members of the delegations,
First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to the distinguished President of the People’s Republic of China, Mr. Xi Jinping, for inviting me to participate in the current Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization as an honored guest, for his warm hospitality and excellent working conditions.
Turkmenistan’s participation in SCO Summits as an honorary guest has become a long-standing tradition. In our opinion, this indicates a mutual interest in developing and deepening the partnership.
Turkmenistan has great respect for the SCO and closely and kindly monitors its activities. We note the constructive role of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in continental and global processes, and its great contribution to the establishment of a fair and balanced system of the modern world order.
Today, during the meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in the SCO+ format, the President of the People’s Republic of China, Mr. Xi Jinping, made a new internationally significant proposal, the Global Governance Initiative.
This idea aligns with Turkmenistan’s conceptual vision of the process of further improving the architecture of international relations and their collective management based on the principles of equality, justice and mutual respect. We support this Initiative and express our readiness to work together with our Chinese colleagues on its practical implementation.
The SCO’s principled approaches to strengthening international and regional stability, creating conditions for political and diplomatic dialogue as the basis of interstate relations and resolving complex issues are understood and supported.
In this context, I would like to emphasize the Organization’s consistently constructive position towards Turkmenistan’s foreign policy, our neutrality, and international initiatives. It would be appropriate to note that the states that are now members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization have supported and co-sponsored UN General Assembly resolutions on Turkmenistan’s neutrality, as well as a number of other UN decisions proposed by our country.
I say this with special feeling and gratitude today, on the eve of the historic date – the 30th anniversary of the international recognition of Turkmenistan’s neutrality, which will be celebrated on 12 December this year. We will be glad to see high-level delegations from all States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization at the upcoming celebrations in Ashgabat.
Dear participants,
The defining vector of relations between Turkmenistan and the SCO is the economic sphere.
Our priorities include transport and logistics, communications, energy, trade, and industrial cooperation.
The presence of an extensive resource base, the benefits of a geographical location, the dynamic development of industry and infrastructure, and the accumulated experience of cooperation – all this objectively contributes to economic rapprochement and joint development, the realization of combined potential, and the creation of large economic hubs of continental and, in the future, global importance in the SCO and Turkmenistan. I am convinced that various formats and models of business partnership between Turkmenistan and the SCO can complement and enrich bilateral ties, expand the horizons of cooperation on a long-term and mutually beneficial basis. As well as create practical prerequisites for planning and implementing major regional and international projects.
Here I would like to highlight the transport component. We believe that today there are real opportunities to build a logistics highway along the East–West and North–South lines, in which the SCO countries and Turkmenistan could become key links. The purposeful pooling of efforts and potentials, the mobilization of political, diplomatic and economic resources will mean a qualitatively new stage not only in the development of our cooperation.
There is an opportunity to create conditions for the formation of an integrated geo–economic space from the Pacific Ocean to the Baltic Sea, which includes large and dynamically developing economic zones – the Asia-Pacific region, Central and South Asia, Russia, the Middle and Middle East. In this regard, it would be logical and reasonable to establish closer practical cooperation with the participation of Turkmenistan and the SCO, coordinate transport strategies based on an understanding of our objective advantages, mutual benefits and successful integration into the global geo-economy.
At the same time, it is worth highlighting the trans-Caspian and Caspian routes. We proceed from the fact that the interests of the SCO and Turkmenistan coincide and have a high degree of compatibility. I think our common task is to put them into practice. We see the Caspian corridors – vertically and horizontally – as a real chance to dramatically increase the efficiency and return on our economic and production capabilities, fully enter global markets, and establish and consolidate long-term and strong positions in the Eurasian geo-economic space.
The most important aspect is the favorable political and legal climate for transportation on the Caspian Sea, which opens up good prospects for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization states to participate in trade and economic activities in the Caspian Sea.
The importance of the Caspian Sea as the shortest and most profitable route was discussed in detail at the 3rd UN Conference for Landlocked Developing Countries recently held in Turkmenistan. A number of SCO states participated in this Forum at the highest level, for which I would like to express my sincere gratitude once again. We hope that this topic will find its continuation in this communication format.
In this regard, I would like to highlight the opportunities offered by the International Seaport of Turkmenbashi. We stand ready for practical dialogue on the effective use of this multifunctional terminal in the interests of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
With regard to maritime transportation, we believe it would be timely to initiate cooperation in shipbuilding. Many SCO member states possess substantial industrial capacities and rich expertise in this field. Turkmenistan, too, is actively developing its national shipbuilding industry, and we are convinced that partnership in this area could yield significant mutual benefits.
We also attach great importance to the development of a modern and extensive railway and road network across Central Asia and neighboring regions. Our country, together with its partners, has already launched the construction of railways to Afghanistan, alongside other major infrastructure initiatives. We see genuine potential to establish long-term cooperation in rail and road transportation and are prepared to present concrete proposals in this regard.
In the field of communications, Turkmenistan, in cooperation with some SCO member states, is currently implementing major projects to lay a fiber-optic communication line through Afghanistan to Pakistan. We invite the Organization to actively participate in expanding its geography and capacity, as well as implementing new large-scale projects.
We advocate strengthening cooperation in the energy sector. Turkmenistan is ready to increase the supply of natural gas to SCO member states. At the same time, we are placing growing emphasis on the electric power industry. We remain open to discussing the practical aspects of electricity supply, including expanding both its directions and volumes. Overall, we view the development of the electric power sector as one of the key priorities of our cooperation within the SCO framework.
Another area for joint efforts is industrial cooperation. The positive dynamics of economic growth across our countries, the construction of new industrial facilities, and the expansion of the range of goods and services all underscore the need for deeper economic partnership. In this context, Turkmenistan is ready to contribute actively to the implementation of an industrial cooperation strategy.
Dear participants,
At the beginning of my speech, I mentioned the humanitarian sphere. Historical experience, closeness of values, loyalty to original traditions and foundations, sincere good neighborliness and respect for each other are the foundations of our cooperation, a common great asset that we cherish and multiply. Therefore, the development of humanitarian cooperation between our countries, the strengthening of cultural, scientific, educational and other ties in the social sphere will always be of particular importance. We are convinced of their necessity and very significant role.
Turkmenistan considers today’s meeting at the highest state level to be an important step in the development of its relations with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
Turkmenistan is committed to practical steps to realize joint opportunities in common interests, strengthen friendship, good neighborliness and trust.
Once again, I would like to express my gratitude for the invitation to this important Summit.
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The working visit of the President of Turkmenistan to the People’s Republic of China continues. ///nCa, 2 September 2025