It was a sunny afternoon in Beijing when President Xi Jinping took a few minutes to call Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and congratulate him on winning the June 24 presidential elections in Turkey. That call from China was more than a diplomatic courtesy - it was a renewed affirmation of the importance of Sino-Turkish friendship.
Several hours ahead of the announcement of President Erdogan's win, President Xi sent his congratulations, saying the victory revealed the strong support of the Turkish people for the leadership of the Justice and Development Party. He also reiterated Beijing's willingness to work with Ankara on the Belt and Road Initiative, despite opposition from the US and EU.
The relationship between China and Turkey can be traced back to over 2,000 years ago when Chinese silk was traded for Turkish horses along the famous Silk Road. Since then, Sino-Turkish relations have gone through ups and downs, but overall, the friendship has continued to develop.
In 1971, China officially recognized Turkey as a country, following its recognition by the UN. The two countries established diplomatic relations in 1971, and since then, their economic, cultural, and political cooperation has continued to blossom.
The bilateral trade volume between China and Turkey has grown from a mere $170 million in 1990 to over $27 billion in 2020. In addition, China has become a significant investor in Turkey, with over 1,500 Chinese companies investing in the country and directly creating more than 50,000 jobs.
Moreover, China and Turkey have collaborated on important global issues such as combatting terrorism and ensuring stability in the Middle East. When it comes to international affairs, Turkey has been among the first Muslim nations to recognize China's West Asian, Central Asian, and even domestic policies, which has significantly expanded the scope of Sino-Turkish relations.
Sino-Turkish cooperation in economics and politics continues to have a significant impact on the region's economic and political landscape. Turkey can become a gateway to Europe for China, helping its continued expansion of the Belt and Road Initiative. At the same time, China can help Turkey to diversify its economy by investing in technology and infrastructure sectors, and enable a more stable future.
The complementary nature of the two economies – Turkey with its geographic advantages and modern infrastructure, along with its growing service sector and young population, and China with its innovative technologies, industrial and manufacturing capacity and the world's largest middle class – makes it a good match for cooperation and mutual benefit in different fields.
In 2019, Turkey and China signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on 5G technology – showing Turkey's willingness to work with China on frontier technologies – and ratified agreements to establish infrastructure facilities for Chinese companies in Turkey, strengthening China's presence in Turkey and Europe.
There is much more to be explored and discovered in the Sino-Turkish friendship. Further cooperation in the areas of higher education, tourism, culture and people-to-people exchanges can build on the foundation that has been laid so far, leading to even greater mutual benefits.
In addition, the two countries can collaborate on climate change, one of the most pressing global issues of our time, by jointly developing renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power and by sharing best practices in carbon reduction and emission management.
Personal interaction and mutual knowledge between the Chinese and Turkish people will play a salient role in the friendship's future. More exchange programs between Chinese and Turkish universities can foster better understanding and, in turn, benefit the two countries.
In conclusion, Sino-Turkish friendship has gone beyond just two countries' relationship and reached a mutually beneficial stage where cooperation and interaction can help bring about more prosperity, stability and peace to the region.
China congratulating Turkey's President Erdogan on his reelection win, and its affirmation of the willingness to work together on different avenues, is indicative of the depth of the friendship between the two nations.
As Turkey's role in the region continues to expand, strategic cooperation with China will become more important than ever. By continuing to focus on the common vision of prosperity and mutual benefits, China and Turkey can sustain and strengthen their durable friendship.
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World News, International Relations
Curated by Team Akash.Mittal.Blog
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