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TASHKENT, June 23 (Xinhua) -- Turkmenistan is ready to strengthen cooperation with China on various levels and play an active role in the construction of the Belt and Road initiated by China, Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow said here Thursday.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, June 23, 2016. (Xinhua/Ma Zhancheng)

He made the remarks during a meeting with visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping prior to a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Tashkent.

For his part, Xi said during their meeting that China attaches great importance to developing relations with Turkmenistan, hailing energy cooperation as an important part of bilateral strategic partnership.

"China stands ready to enhance cooperation with Turkmenistan in various areas to enrich our strategic partnership," said Xi, stressing that expanding energy cooperation will be conducive to economic and social development of both countries.

China appreciates Turkmenistan's active support for and positive role in the Belt and Road construction, applauds its measures to improve regional transport infrastructure and promote the efficiency of the logistics system, and is willing to encourage Chinese companies to actively participate in relevant cooperation, said Xi.

Xi noted that China looks to work with the Central Asian country to explore ways of starting bilateral production capacity cooperation and hold further discussion on agricultural cooperation.

He is glad to learn that Turkmenistan is going to offer Chinese language courses in primary and secondary schools, said the president, calling on both sides to increase people-to-people exchanges.

He also urged the two countries to strengthen law-enforcement and security cooperation, severely crack down on "the three evil forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism, and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability.

Echoing Xi's remarks, Berdimuhamedow said the bilateral strategic partnership enjoys firm political and social foundations.

Turkmenistan will intensify exchanges with China between the two governments, parliaments and peoples, deepen cooperation in economy, trade, energy, transport, logistics, communication, high-technology, humanities and international affairs, and continue to take an active part in the Belt and Road construction, he said.

Appreciating China's support for Turkmenistan's permanent neutrality policy, Berdimuhamedow stressed his country's commitment to adhering to the one-China policy.

The 16th meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State is to be held in Tashkent on Thursday and Friday. Turkmenistan, non-member of the SCO, was invited to attend the summit as a guest.

Founded in 2001, the SCO now has China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as its full members, with Afghanistan, Belarus, India, Iran, Mongolia and Pakistan as observers, and Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Turkey as dialogue partners.