Ground has officially been broken on the fourth phase of the Galkynysh Gas Field project in Turkmenistan, marking a new milestone in energy cooperation between China and Turkmenistan, according to operator China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) on Monday.

Since the signing of the general agreement on natural gas cooperation, CNPC and its Turkmen partners have established a full-chain energy partnership spanning exploration, pipeline transportation and engineering services.

The expansion of the Galkynysh Gas Field — one of the world's largest — is expected to further scale up natural gas trade and inject strong momentum into the economic development of both countries.

CNPC said it aimed to build the fourth phase into a demonstration project characterized by leading technology, world-class management and environmental friendliness.

The project underscores China's commitment to securing a diversified energy supply while fostering mutual benefits with Central Asian partners through high-standard infrastructure development.