The Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Turkmenistan hosted a reception in Ashgabat on 29 July 2026 to commemorate the 99th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China. The history of the PLA dates back to the Nanchang Uprising of 1927, widely regarded as the birth of China’s modern armed forces. Defence cooperation between the two countries has already produced tangible results. According to Soltanov, in recent years, Turkmenistan’s Ministry of Defence has signed a number of contracts with leading Chinese defence industry companies, including NORINCO, CATIC, CETC, XINXING, and LIDU FIREWORKS. Following the official part of the event, the guests spent time enjoying fine dishes of Turkmen and Chinese cuisines alongside pleasant conversations.