On November 3, 2007, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao arrived in Ashgabat, capital of Turkmenistan, starting his official visit to Turkmenistan.

At 7:40 p.m. local time (10:40 p.m. Beijing time), Premier Wen's special plane landed at the Ashgabat International Airport. Turkmen Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov and other senior government officials, as well as Chinese Ambassador to Turkmenistan Lu Guicheng and other embassy staff welcomed Wen and his entourage at the airport. Representatives from Chinese-funded institutions, overseas Chinese and Chinese students also greeted the Chinese delegation at the airport.

In a written statement delivered at the airport, Wen highlighted the time-honored traditional friendship between the Chinese and Turkmen peoples, saying that the two nations, as friendly, close neighbors, have made tremendous progress in bilateral ties since the establishment of diplomatic ties 15 years ago. Both sides have supported each other on key issues involving their state sovereignty and territorial integrity, with increasing mutual trust and expanding trade cooperation. They have also closely coordinated their actions in multinational frameworks such as the United Nations, which has effectively safeguarded the common interests of the two nations.

This is the first visit to Turkmenistan by a Chinese premier in about 13 years--the last such visit was made in 1994. During his stay in the country, Wen will hold official talks with President Berdymukhamedov, and meet with Akdzha Nurberdyeva, chairman of the Turkmen Assembly. The two sides will exchange in-depth views on consolidating their traditional friendship and expanding pragmatic cooperation in all areas, as well as other regional and international issues of common concern.

Wen Jiabao arrived in Ashgabat after attending the sixth Meeting of Prime Ministers of the Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and paying an official visit to Uzbekistan. Upon Premier Wen's departure from Tashkent, Uzbek Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyaev and several other senior government officials, as well as Chinese Ambassador to Uzbekistan Yu Hongjun saw him off at the airport. Representatives from Chinese-funded institutions, overseas Chinese and Chinese students also went to the airport to see off the premier.

Ashgabat is the second leg of Wen's four-nation trip, which will take him to Belarus and Russia. He will also attend the 12th regular meeting between the prime ministers of China and Russia, and the closing ceremony of the "Year of China" in Russia.