On August 26, the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Turkmenistan hosted a ceremony to present acceptance letters to Turkmen applicants who successfully enrolled in Chinese universities. This event was part of the 2025 Chinese government scholarship program, which fully covers tuition, accommodation, and other expenses. A total of 95 Turkmen students will be able to study in China, thanks to 100 educational grants provided by the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of the PRC.

The event marked another significant milestone in the history of humanitarian ties between the two countries. The Chinese Ambassador to Turkmenistan, Ji Shuming, personally presented the letters to the students, who will be attending leading universities in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, including Xinjiang University, Xinjiang Medical University, Xinjiang University of Finance and Economics, and Xinjiang Agricultural University.

Staff from the Chinese Embassy, the Ministries of Education and Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, the applicants' parents, and media representatives were all in attendance.

Ambassador Ji Shuming's Address

In his address, Ambassador Ji Shuming emphasized that humanitarian exchanges are crucial to Turkmen-Chinese cooperation. He noted that the students act as ambassadors of friendship between the nations, as human connections are the most effective way to bring people closer.

The Ambassador added that studying in China will allow students not only to master their chosen professions but also to learn the Chinese language and immerse themselves in the country's rich culture and heritage. This, he stated, will be a vital contribution to further strengthening bilateral relations, which are already thriving in the trade, economic, and energy sectors.

Statistics and Significance of Exchanges

According to the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan, approximately 1,000 students at nine higher education institutions and around 5,700 schoolchildren at ten secondary schools in the country are currently studying Chinese. To date, over 6,500 Turkmen students are enrolled in Chinese universities, with about 250 of them studying under intergovernmental agreements.

China has an extensive network of over 3,000 higher education institutions. According to the Times Higher Education 2025 rankings, seven Chinese universities are in the top 100 globally, and more than 300 are in the top 500 out of over 2,000 universities in 115 countries.

ORIENT