BEIJING, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Beijing University of Chinese Medicine on Thursday conferred an honorary professorship on visiting Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov.

Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong attended the ceremony held at the Great Hall of the People in downtown Beijing.

Liu said the honor for Berdymukhamedov, the leader of Turkmenistan and a successful medical expert, shows the deep friendship between Chinese and Turkmen people.

"I hope both countries can take this opportunity to learn from each other in the area of traditional medicine and enhance people-to-people exchanges so as to carry on the Sino-Turkmen friendship," she said.

Berdymukhamedov expressed willingness to boost cooperation with China in such areas as medicine and education so as to benefit both peoples.

Berdymukhamedov began an official three-day China visit on Sunday. He was made an honorary professor of Peking University in Beijing on Nov. 23, 2011.