During President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov’s recent working visit to the People’s Republic of China, the deep-rooted, multi-millennial history of contact between the ancestors of the Turkmen and Chinese was highlighted as a solid foundation for modern relations between the two countries.
It is known that the commitment of Turkmenistan and China to their historical roots, rich cultural, material and spiritual heritage is not only the core of domestic state policy, but is also transferred by both countries to the plane of international cooperation. This is especially evident in the nature and content of the bilateral Turkmen-Chinese relations. Turkmenistan and China always emphasize fidelity to the historical traditions of friendship and mutual trust, noting the fact that the current level of mutual understanding is based on a deep, thousand-year foundation of good neighborliness and respectful communication and knowledge.
Throughout the formation of the unified Chinese Empire, it maintained close contact with the ancient ancestors of the Turkmen, including the Oghuz, as well as the Huns, Massagets, Parthians, and other Turkic peoples. The two great civilizations engaged in dynastic marriages, formed alliances, and exchanged cultural and military achievements. This close relationship is evidenced by the fact that Oghuz ambassadors were granted a high status, even sitting beside the Chinese emperor during palace ceremonies. The influence of the Oghuz was particularly strong in the 8th century, when a fashion for Turkic music and clothing emerged in China. Historical records also show that more than 10,000 Oghuz families relocated to China, and a Chinese-Turkic dictionary was even compiled, though it has not survived to the present day.
The fact of sending “heavenly horses” to the Emperor of China, the famous Akhal-Teke, is also well known.
These are just some examples of the process of synthesizing political cultures that has taken place over the centuries. In many ways, it predetermined the essence of the Turkmen-Chinese interstate economic and humanitarian ties in the modern era. In this context, the President of Turkmenistan reasonably stated that Turkmenistan and China today are loyal friends, strategic partners and like–minded people, the relations between which cannot be considered in isolation from the deep historical context formed over the centuries by a special, unique type of relationship. ///MFA Turkmenistan, 5 September 2025