DUSHANBE, September 13, 2013, Asia-Plus – President Emamali Rahman, held bilateral talks with the President of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping, in the frame of SCO Summit in Bishkek.

The Tajik leader expressed satisfaction with raising bilateral relations to strategic partnership as a result of the Tajik President’s official visit to the People’s Republic of China in May.

Mr. Rahman expressed satisfaction with the decision of the People’s Republic of China government on building a gas pipeline from China to Turkmenistan through Tajikistan.

In order to further enhance cooperation between the two states, Mr. Rahman invited Xi Jinping to come to Tajikistan with an official visit.

After the meeting, intergovernmental agreement to build a gas pipeline from Turkmenistan into China through Tajikistan was signed in presence of the two presidents.

It was mentioned that the length of the pipeline through Tajikistan will be 400 km, and the pipeline will be opened by the end of 2016.

Implementation of the project will allow attraction of $3 billion Chinese direct investment into the Tajik economy.