On the evening of August 28, 2008, Chinese President Hu Jintao arrived in the Turkmen capital of Ashgabat for a state visit to Turkmenistan.

At about 21:00 local time, Hu's special plane arrived at Ashgabat Airport, where he was warmly welcomed by Turkmen Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov and other officials.

In a written speech issued upon his arrival at the airport, the Chinese president said the traditional friendship between China and Turkmenistan enjoys a time-honored history.  "Since the two countries established diplomatic ties 16 years ago, friendly and cooperative relations between China and Turkmenistan have developed steadily with stronger political trust, and expanding pragmatic cooperation between the two sides," he said. He said that the two countries also have coordinated closely within the framework of the United Nations and in other multi-lateral areas.  "All these have brought substantial benefits to the peoples of the two countries," he said.

Hu said that his current visit aims to strengthen friendship and enlarge mutually-beneficial cooperation between the two countries.  During the visit, Hu will hold talks with his Turkmen counterpart Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov to discuss ways to further bilateral ties and exchange views on major international and regional issues. With the joint efforts by the two sides, Hu said, his current visit would be a complete success.

Ling Jihua, Wang Huning, Dai Bingguo and other accompanying officials arrived by the same plane.

Chinese Ambassador to Turkmenistan Lu Guicheng and the staff of the embassy also greeted Hu and his entourage at the airport.

President Hu flew to Ashgabat by special plane from the Tajik capital of Dushanbe after concluding his state visit to Tajikistan and attending the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.