MARY, Turkmenistan, Sept. 4 (UPI) -- Visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Turkmenistan host inaugurated the first phase of production facilities at the giant Galkynysh gas field.
The world's second-largest gas field in Mary in the southeast region of the Central Asian country is being jointly developed with China. The field has proven reserves of between 4 trillion and 6 trillion cubic meters of natural gas, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.
Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov said energy cooperation between his country and China is an important part of their strategic partnership, which has been driving the development of the Central Asian region as a whole, the report said.
Turkmenistan will become a major energy supplier to China.
The Turkmen leader said his country is willing to enhance cooperation with China in such areas as natural gas exploitation and transmission, and global energy security, to realize common development and prosperity.
Xi said the Galkynysh gas field is another fine example of bilateral energy cooperation for mutual benefits.
By forging a strategic partnership, China and Turkmenistan have unleashed new opportunities for deepening their energy cooperation, he added.
Xi, who ended his state visit to Turkmenistan on Wednesday, left for Russia to attend the Group of Twenty (G20) summit. The Chinese leader also plans to visit Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.
