Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who is considered a rising star in his country’s political scene, visited China from June 3-5.
The visit was treated as having a broader significance, while also representing an important advance in bilateral relations. The wider context was highlighted by Global Times, which wrote:
“China has been in close communication with Muslim countries in the Middle East recently amid the worsening situation in Gaza, as Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan started his visit to China on Monday, just a few days after the 10th ministerial conference of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum. Chinese analysts said that apart from boosting bilateral cooperation, China will strengthen cooperation and coordination with Türkiye and other major powers in the region to jointly promote a sustainable ceasefire in the continuing Palestinian-Israeli conflict.”
It added: “With regard to bilateral relations, the visit will boost the China-Türkiye cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, as Türkiye is a key partner of China with an important location bridging Asia and Europe, and also a major power in the region.”
The newspaper further noted that “the ongoing crisis in Gaza further strengthens unity among Muslim countries.
“On Sunday, a day ahead of Fidan’s visit to China, Iranian Caretaker Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani and Türkiye’s top diplomat called on Muslim states to employ everything in their capacity to support Palestinians and stop the crimes by Israel in the Gaza Strip, according to a statement released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
“On the topic of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the tragedy in Gaza, China and Muslim countries, including Arab states, Türkiye and Iran, share a similar stance calling for peace and an immediate and sustainable ceasefire to save Palestinian lives, and they all support the just cause of the Palestinian people to restore their legitimate national rights and also to become a full member of the UN… [meanwhile] the Biden administration is now facing increasing internal and external pressures, and even NATO allies like Türkiye are dissatisfied with the role that the US is playing, which allows the bloodshed to continue in the Gaza Strip.”
This broader context likely accounts for the fact that Fidan’s first reported meeting in Beijing, on June 3, was with Politburo member Chen Wenqing, the head of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.
Their talks focused on security matters. The Xinhua News Agency reported Chen as stating that, guided by the important consensus of the leaders of the two countries, China is willing to work with Türkiye to continuously bring cooperation in the field of security to new heights, enrich and expand the connotations of bilateral ties, protect the security interests of both countries in an improved manner, and contribute actively to the peace and development of both countries, the region and the world.
In his meeting with his Turkish counterpart on June 4, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that building a comprehensive, deep and high-level China-Türkiye relationship is in the fundamental interests of both countries and peoples.
He noted that China and Türkiye are both ancient civilisations and important members of the G20, and are facing profound challenges in the changing international situation, so they should strengthen communication and coordination to make positive contributions to promoting regional peace and global development.
China is willing to maintain multi-level exchanges with Türkiye, play a good role in mechanisms such as the China-Türkiye Intergovernmental Cooperation Committee, promote effective connections between the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative and Türkiye’s Middle Corridor Initiative, expand cooperation areas, and explore their potential.
China is also willing to expand imports of high-quality agricultural products from Türkiye, support the continuous improvement of cooperation levels and technological content of enterprises in both countries, and strengthen cooperation in culture, education, tourism, aviation, and other fields.
Wang added that both sides should strengthen coordination and cooperation within the framework of the United Nations (UN) and other multilateral frameworks, support the UN in playing a core role in the global governance system, oppose hegemonism and power politics, oppose a few countries monopolising international affairs, oppose building walls and barriers, “decoupling” and “cutting off supply chains,” maintain the stable operation of the global supply chain and industrial chain, and promote the establishment of a fair and reasonable global governance system.
Fidan said that Türkiye and China have important influence in their regions and globally. China’s development is crucial to world peace and prosperity. Türkiye opposes bloc confrontation, does not agree with or support erroneous actions that suppress China’s development, and does not allow any force to engage in activities on Turkish territory that harm China’s sovereignty and security.
The Middle Corridor Initiative is highly compatible with the Belt and Road Initiative, and Türkiye is willing to cooperate closely with China to achieve more substantive results in trade, investment, finance, agriculture, tourism, education, and other fields through mechanisms such as the China-Türkiye Intergovernmental Cooperation Committee. Türkiye highly appreciates China’s fair and just position on issues concerning Ukraine and the Middle East and looks forward to working constructively with China to make greater contributions to the prosperity and stability of the region and the world.
Both sides also agreed that it is necessary to promote a ceasefire in Gaza and maintain peace and stability in the Middle East. The Palestinian issue is at the core of Middle Eastern issues. The Gaza conflict is currently the focus, and the priority is to achieve an immediate, comprehensive, and permanent ceasefire, improve humanitarian conditions, and release all detained individuals.
Both China and Türkiye support Palestine becoming a full member of the UN and support internal reconciliation in Palestine. China and Türkiye will strengthen cooperation to jointly promote the early and comprehensive, fair, and lasting resolution of the Palestinian issue.
On the Ukraine issue, Wang said that China’s position is firm and consistent, and the aim is to promote peace and dialogue. Although the conditions for negotiations are not yet in place, China is committed to peace and will not stop its efforts. As long as there is a glimmer of hope, every effort must be made to strive for it.
Wang said China believes that the world needs to hear more objective, balanced, positive, and constructive voices on the Ukraine crisis. China and Brazil jointly issued a six-point consensus recently on promoting a political solution to the Ukraine crisis, emphasising adherence to the three principles of cooling the situation: no spillover from the battlefield, no escalation of the conflict, and no provocation by any party. Within just one week, 45 countries from five continents have responded positively to the six-point consensus in different ways, with 26 countries already confirming their participation or seriously studying how to join. China believes that the more people participate in the joint appeal, the greater the hope for cooling the situation and the smaller the risk of escalation of the conflict.
Fidan also met the same day with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng.
Earlier, on June 3, Fidan visited the Centre for China and Globalisation (CCG) think tank and delivered a speech.
He discussed the Trans-Caspian East-West Middle Corridor Initiative, noting that this trade route will start from Türkiye and reach China via the Caucasus, Caspian Sea and Central Asia, parallel to China’s Belt and Road Initiative. He also emphasised its benefits in uninterrupted and rapid access to the Black Sea and Mediterranean basins as well as other regions of Europe and Africa.
He further cited Türkiye’s customs union agreement with the European Union (EU) and its pursuit of new opportunities for cooperation with different partners in such platforms as the BRICS cooperation mechanism. According to the South China Morning Post, he said that BRICS could offer “a good alternative” to the EU. Nearly four decades ago, Türkiye applied to join what was then the European Economic Community (EEC), and in 1999 it was officially recognised as a candidate for full membership in the EU. However, Fidan said that due to “identity politics”, meaning the fact that Türkiye is a Muslim majority nation of over 86 million people, its membership has been consistently blocked by some major EU powers. “So, you have to look for other alternatives. Certainly, we would like to become a member of BRICS. So, we’ll see how it goes this year.”
Fidan added that he looked forward to attending the BRICS Foreign Ministers meeting, to be held in the Russian city of Nizhny Novgorod the next week, preparatory to October’s summit in Kazan.
On May 31, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had said that the doors of BRICS were “open to representatives of the most diverse economic and political systems and macro-regions. The only condition is that you must agree to work on the basis of the key principle of the sovereign equality of states.”
In his speech, Fidan also highlighted the rich historical and cultural interactions shaping ties between Türkiye and China, referring to them as two great civilisations. He emphasised that these interactions form the strong and lasting foundation of their partnership, citing significant cultural and commercial exchanges facilitated by the historical Silk Road. He noted that the Ottomans sent many envoys to China carrying Ottoman rifles, which could be considered a form of “technology transfer” during that period.
Referring to the designation of the two countries’ relationship as a “strategic partnership” in 2010, Fidan pointed out the intentions of both sides to expand this cooperation. He underscored President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to China in 2019 and emphasised this partnership, as displayed during a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in the Uzbek city of Samarkand in September 2022. Fidan further said that China is Türkiye’s largest trading partner in Asia and third largest in the world, with the bilateral trade volume surpassing $48 billion in 2023, a record high. He also acknowledged the trade imbalance between the two nations in favour of China and underlined the importance of exploring new areas to balance bilateral trade and ensure the sustainability of commercial relations. Fidan also highlighted the crucial role of China’s direct investments in economic ties, emphasising that Türkiye provides an investment-friendly environment for foreign companies.
“Türkiye’s geostrategic position, along with our extensive commercial ties, provides free and easy access to a market of approximately 1.5 billion people and a value of $28 trillion, extending from Europe to the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia. All of these are within a flight distance of four hours.”
He also stressed that while Palestinians have long been suffering, this reached an unprecedented level after October 7 last year. “Gaza was once referred to as the world’s largest open-air prison. Now, it has become the world’s largest open-air graveyard. There is currently no place in Gaza that could be considered safe. The humanitarian tragedy unfolding before our eyes has worsened with Israel’s attack on (the city of) Rafah.” He added that Türkiye has been striving to secure a ceasefire in Gaza, prevent the conflict from spilling over into other regions and ensure the uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid since Israel’s attacks began in October last year. He further said that Ankara, like Beijing, has highlighted the necessity of an independent, sovereign and geographically contiguous State of Palestine with its capital in East Jerusalem based on the 1967 borders within the framework of a two-state solution.
Another extremely significant aspect of the Turkish Foreign Minister’s trip was that he concluded it in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, visiting both the capital Urumqi as well as the city of Kashgar.
Welcoming his visit, regional party secretary Ma Xingrui said that under the strategic guidance of leaders of the two countries, friendly exchanges and practical cooperation in various fields between China and Türkiye have made positive progress. And thanks to the development of China-Türkiye bilateral relations, exchanges between China’s Xinjiang region and areas in Türkiye have become increasingly close.
Fidan noted that during his visit to China’s Xinjiang region, he observed well-developed urban facilities, social prosperity, and good protection of various ethnic cultures and languages.
Türkiye’s stance on Xinjiang-related issues, he said, is clear and firm. It resolutely opposes terrorism, does not support or participate in anti-China activities using ethnic issues, and does not allow activities in Türkiye that harm China’s security or undermine China’s territorial integrity.
The Xinjiang region is a window for China to cooperate with Central Asia and countries such as Türkiye. Both sides should work together to strengthen anti-terrorism cooperation, expand exchanges and interactions, and promote new progress in cooperation in areas such as trade, agriculture, and civil aviation.
The South China Morning Post reported that in Kashgar, which is widely seen as the “cradle of Uygur culture”, Fidan visited the Mausoleum of Yusuf Khass Hajib, a famous 11th century Turkic poet, and the Id Kah Mosque, the largest in Xinjiang. He tweeted of his visit to Urumqi and Kashgar: “Finally, I visited these two ancient cities thanks to my contacts in China.”
Regarding the economic significance of his visit to Xinjiang, the paper reported Li Lifan, a research fellow from the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, as saying that Türkiye’s implementation of EU standards, due to their customs union, would be attractive to Chinese companies, while cultural and linguistic similarities could also appeal to Uygur entrepreneurs.
He also mentioned that Türkiye is a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation dialogue partner and seeks to become a full member of the organisation.
Earlier, at a joint press conference with Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Fidan had said that Urumqi and Kashgar play “a bridging role” between China and the Turkish as well as the Islamic world. “They are symbols of our historical friendship and neighbourhood.”
The South China Morning Post article further noted that two months ago, Xinjiang had also hosted a visit by Bassam Zakarneh, a member of the Revolutionary Council of Palestine’s Fatah party, leading a delegation that also included leaders of left-wing political parties from Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Jordan and Tunisia.
The following articles were originally published by Global Times, the Xinhua News Agency and Daily Sabah.
Turkish FM visits China to ‘enrich bilateral ties’
June 3 (Global Times) — China has been in close communication with Muslim countries in the Middle East recently amid the worsening situation in Gaza, as Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan started his visit to China on Monday, just a few days after the 10th ministerial conference of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum. Chinese analysts said that apart from boosting bilateral cooperation, China will strengthen cooperation and coordination with Turkey and other major powers in the region to jointly promote a sustainable cease-fire in the continuing Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Chen Wenqing, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the CPC Central Committee, met with Fidan in Beijing on Monday.
Guided by the important consensus of the leaders of the two countries, China is willing to work with Turkey to bring cooperation in the field of security to new heights continuously, enrich and expand the connotations of bilateral ties further, protect the security interests of both countries in an improved manner, serve the strategic alignment of the two countries’ development, and contribute actively to the peace and development of both countries, the region and the world, Chen added.
Fidan expressed willingness to continue promoting bilateral cooperation in the field of security, according to Xinhua News Agency.
Fidan will stay in China from Monday to Wednesday, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
With regard to bilateral relations, the visit will boost the China-Turkey cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, as Turkey is a key partner of China with an important location bridging Asia and Europe, and also a major power in the region, said Li Xinggang, a research fellow at the Institute for Studies on the Mediterranean Rim at Zhejiang International Studies University.
“The two sides could discuss how to further activate the potential of the China-Europe Railway Express to bring more economic and trade benefits,” Li noted.
Liu Zhongmin, a professor with the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times on Monday that China-Turkey relations have been stabilized in recent years, as China offered significant support and aid to Turkey after the deadly earthquake in 2023, and both sides are willing to further promote relations to boost economic growth.
After Saudi Arabia and Iran successfully reestablished diplomatic ties with the support and mediation of China in 2023, a wave of reconciliation has occurred in the Middle East, and Turkey has also fixed its ties with other major powers, while the ongoing crisis in Gaza also further strengthens unity among Muslim countries, said analysts.
On Sunday, a day ahead of Fidan’s visit to China, Iranian Caretaker Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani and Turkey’s top diplomat called on Muslim states to employ everything in their capacity to support Palestinians and stop the “crimes” by Israel in the Gaza Strip, according to a statement released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry on Sunday, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
In a phone call, the Iranian and Turkish foreign ministers discussed the latest developments in Gaza, particularly in its southernmost Rafah city.
Bagheri Kani called for greater cooperation among Muslim states to support the “oppressed people of Gaza,” adding that Muslim states should not spare any opportunity to back Palestinians. Fidan, for his part, urged greater coordination among Muslim states with regard to the issue of Palestine.
On Friday, according to Turkish media outlet Anadolu Agency, Fidan discussed the latest proposal raised in negotiations between Palestinian group Hamas and Israel in a phone call with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Indirect talks between Hamas and Israel, mediated by the US, Qatar and Egypt, have so far failed to secure agreement on a permanent cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, said Anadolu Agency’s report.
On the topic of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the tragedy in Gaza, China and Muslim countries, including Arab states, Turkey and Iran, share a similar stance calling for peace and an immediate and sustainable cease-fire to save Palestinian lives, and they all support the just cause of the Palestinian people to restore their legitimate national rights and also to become a full member of the UN, while the US is playing a role to one-sidedly defend Israel and stands against the majority of the international community, said analysts.
Fidan on May 15 told Blinken over the phone that Israel’s attacks on the city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip are unacceptable. On the same day, Fidan spoke with Hamas political bureau chief Ismael Haniyeh over the phone to discuss the latest developments in the Gaza cease-fire negotiations, according to Xinhua.
With the humanitarian crisis in Gaza worsening due to Israel’s military operation defended and supported by Washington, the Biden administration is now facing increasing internal and external pressures, and even NATO allies like Turkey are dissatisfied with the role that the US is playing, which allows the bloodshed to continue in the Gaza Strip, said experts.
“During Fidan’s visit to China, the two countries are likely to jointly urge Israel to stop its operation in Rafah and allow humanitarian aid and supplies to enter the Gaza Strip without obstacles, and jointly push the implementation of the two-State solution.”
The two sides are also likely to discuss how to build a sustainable security mechanism in the region that can effectively restrain both Israel and Palestine and that can prevent conflict in the future, Li noted.
Senior CPC official meets with Türkiye’s FM
BEIJING, June 3 (Xinhua) — Chen Wenqing, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the CPC Central Committee, met with Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Beijing on Monday.
Chen said the leaders of the two countries have reached many new consensuses on deepening strategic China-Türkiye cooperation in recent years, creating a new blueprint for the long-term development of bilateral relations.
Guided by the important consensus of the leaders of the two countries, China is willing to work with Türkiye to bring cooperation in the field of security to new heights continuously, enrich and expand the connotations of bilateral ties further, protect the security interests of both countries in an improved manner, serve the strategic alignment of the two countries’ development, and contribute actively to the peace and development of both countries, the region and the world, Chen added.
Fidan expressed willingness to continue promoting bilateral cooperation in the field of security.
Building comprehensive, high-level China-Turkey ties in fundamental interests of both countries: Wang Yi
June 5 (Global Times) — Building a comprehensive, deep and high-level China-Turkey relationship is in the fundamental interests of both countries and peoples, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said while meeting with the visiting Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Tuesday.
During the meeting with Fidan, Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said that China and Turkey are both ancient civilizations and important members of the G20, and are facing profound challenges in the changing international situation, so the two countries should strengthen communication and coordination to make positive contributions to promoting regional peace and global development.
Wang pointed out that building a comprehensive, deep and high-level China-Turkey relationship is in the fundamental interests of both countries and peoples. China firmly supports Turkey in continuing to explore an independent and self-reliant development path. It also supports Turkey’s efforts to safeguard sovereignty, security, and development interests, and appreciates Turkey’s understanding and support for China’s just position on core interests related to sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity.
China is willing to maintain multi-level exchanges with Turkey, play a good role in mechanisms such as the China-Turkey Intergovernmental Cooperation Committee, promote effective connection between the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative and Turkey’s Middle Corridor Initiative, expand cooperation areas, and explore cooperation potential.
China is willing to expand imports of high-quality agricultural products from Turkey, support the continuous improvement of cooperation levels and technological content of enterprises in both countries, and strengthen cooperation in culture, education, tourism, aviation, and other fields, Wang said.
Wang noted that both sides should strengthen coordination and cooperation within the framework of the United Nations (UN) and other multilateral frameworks, support the UN in playing a core role in the global governance system, oppose hegemonism and power politics, oppose a few countries monopolizing international affairs, oppose building walls and barriers, “decoupling” and “cutting off supply chains,” maintain the stable operation of the global supply chain and industrial chain, and promote the establishment of a fair and reasonable global governance system.
Fidan said that Turkey and China have important influence in their regions and globally. The Turkish government attaches great importance to its relations with China, adheres to the one-China principle, and supports China in safeguarding its core interests and major concerns.
China’s development is crucial to world peace and prosperity. Turkey opposes bloc confrontation, does not agree with or support erroneous actions that suppress China’s development, and does not allow any force to engage in activities on Turkish territory that harm China’s sovereignty and security, said Fidan.
The Middle Corridor Initiative is highly compatible with the Belt and Road Initiative, and Turkey is willing to cooperate closely with China to achieve more substantive results in trade, investment, finance, agriculture, tourism, education, and other fields through mechanisms such as the China-Turkey Intergovernmental Cooperation Committee.
Turkey and China are both emerging market powers and members of the G20, with broad common interests in upholding international fairness and justice. Turkey highly appreciates China’s fair and just position on issues concerning Ukraine and the Middle East, and looks forward to working constructively with China to make greater contributions to the prosperity and stability of the region and the world, said Fidan.
The two sides also exchanged views and coordinated positions on international and regional issues of common concern such as Ukraine crisis and Palestinian issue.
During the Tuesday meeting, both sides also agree that it is necessary to promote a ceasefire in Gaza and maintain peace and stability in the Middle East. The Palestinian issue is at the core of Middle Eastern issues. The Gaza conflict is currently the focus, and the priority is to achieve an immediate, comprehensive, and permanent ceasefire, improve humanitarian conditions, and release all detained individuals.
The two-State solution is the fundamental way to solve the Palestinian issue. Both China and Turkey support Palestine becoming a full member of the UN and support internal reconciliation in Palestine. China and Turkey will strengthen cooperation to jointly promote the early and comprehensive, fair, and lasting resolution of the Palestinian issue.
On the Ukraine issue, Wang said that China’s position is firm and consistent, and the aim is to promote peace and dialogue. Although the conditions for negotiations are not yet in place, China is committed to peace and will not stop its efforts. As long as there is a glimmer of hope, every effort must be made to strive for it.
Switzerland is hosting a “Summit on Peace in Ukraine” on June 15 and 16. China confirmed on May 31 that it will not attend the conference, as the meeting falls short of China’s requests, according to Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Mao Ning.
However, China encourages and supports all initiatives and efforts around the world that contribute to easing tensions and achieving peace, Wang said, noting that China values Switzerland’s work in preparing for the peace conference and has provided constructive suggestions to the Swiss side, which have been positively evaluated and appreciated.
Wang said China believes that the world needs to hear more objective, balanced, positive, and constructive voices on the Ukraine crisis. China and Brazil jointly issued a six-point consensus recently on promoting a political solution to the Ukraine crisis, emphasizing adherence to the three principles of cooling the situation: no spillover from the battlefield, no escalation of the conflict, and no provocation by any party.
The consensus also calls for all parties to adhere to dialogue and negotiations, increase humanitarian assistance, oppose the use of nuclear weapons, oppose attacks on nuclear power plants, and maintain the stability of the global industrial and supply chains.
Wang said that he had exchanged views with Fidan, who also welcomed and appreciated the six-point consensus.
Within just one week, 45 countries from five continents have responded positively to the six-point consensus in different ways, with 26 countries already confirming their participation or seriously studying how to join, Wang said, noting that Russia and Ukraine, the two main parties involved, have also affirmed most of the contents of the consensus.
This once again shows that the consensus meets the common expectations of most countries. China believes that the more people participate in the joint appeal, the greater the hope for cooling the situation and the smaller the risk of escalation of conflict, said Wang.
The more countries that support the six-point consensus, the brighter will be the prospects for peace. China sincerely welcomes more countries to support and join the consensus, said Wang.
Turkish FM sees major role for Türkiye, China in supply chain
June 4 (Daily Sabah) — Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan attended a conference on the first day of his visit to China on Monday and highlighted the importance of economic ties between Ankara and Beijing.
The minister said Monday that Türkiye and China both play significant roles in protecting the global supply chain. Speaking in Beijing, which he was visiting at the invitation of his counterpart Wang Yi, Fidan pointed to China’s status as the world’s second-largest economy and its contribution to driving global economic growth. He also highlighted Türkiye’s strong production capacity, young and dynamic population, advanced infrastructure, political stability and logistic capabilities.
As he was delivering his speech on “Türkiye-China Relations in the Changing World Order” at the Center for China and Globalization, Fidan discussed the Trans-Caspian East-West Middle Corridor Initiative. This trade route will start from Türkiye and reach China via the Caucasus, Caspian Sea and Central Asia, parallel to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Fidan noted that the initiative, also called the Middle Corridor, provides a land route approximately 2,000 kilometers (1,242 miles) shorter than the sea route between Europe and Asia, reducing travel time by 15 days. He also emphasized the Middle Corridor’s benefits in uninterrupted and rapid access to the Black Sea and Mediterranean basins as well as other regions of Europe and Africa. Fidan also pointed to a memorandum of understanding signed between Türkiye and China in 2015 to harmonize and enhance cooperation between the two initiatives. Underlining the importance of aligning the Middle Corridor with China’s Belt and Road Initiative, especially given the ongoing Russia-Ukraine War and conflicts in the Red Sea and Gaza, he noted that the project has become even more crucial amid increasing geopolitical risks.
Fidan underscored the importance of synergy between the Middle Corridor and other initiatives like the Development Road project spanning Iraq from its southern Basra province to Türkiye in the north. He suggested that this could link the economic power centers of Eurasia for prosperous regional integration.
He cited Türkiye’s customs union agreement with the European Union and its pursuit of new opportunities for cooperation with different partners in platforms like the BRICS bloc.
He said he would attend a BRICS summit in Russia next week and expressed Ankara’s support for cooperation and multilateralism in Asia as well as in Africa.
Türkiye-China ties
Fidan highlighted the rich historical and cultural interactions shaping ties between Türkiye and China, referring to them as “two great civilizations.” He emphasized that these interactions form the strong and lasting foundation of their partnership, citing significant cultural and commercial exchanges facilitated by the historical Silk Road. He noted that the Ottomans sent many envoys to China carrying Ottoman rifles, which could be considered a form of “technology transfer” during that period.
Expressing satisfaction with the rapid development of bilateral relations, Fidan said this collaboration is built on a solid foundation. Referring to the designation of the two countries’ relationship as a “strategic partnership” in 2010, Fidan pointed out the intentions of both sides to expand this cooperation. He underscored President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to China in 2019 and emphasized this partnership during a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Samarkand in September 2022. Fidan further said that China is Türkiye’s largest trading partner in Asia and the third-largest in the world, with the bilateral trade volume surpassing $48 billion in 2023, a record high. He also acknowledged the trade imbalance between the two nations in favor of China and underlined the importance of exploring new areas to balance bilateral trade and ensure the sustainability of commercial relations. Fidan also highlighted the crucial role of China’s direct investments in economic ties, emphasizing that Türkiye provides an investment-friendly environment for foreign companies.
“Türkiye’s geostrategic position, along with our extensive commercial ties, provides free and easy access to a market of approximately 1.5 billion people and a value of $28 trillion, extending from Europe to the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia. All of these are within a flight distance of four hours,” he said. He further stated that Türkiye is playing an increasingly significant role in addressing global challenges with proactive and results-oriented foreign policies, similar to China.
Tragedy in Rafah
Fidan stressed that while Palestinians have long been suffering, this reached an unprecedented level after Oct. 7 last year. “Gaza was once referred to as the world’s largest open-air prison. Now, it has become the world’s largest open-air graveyard. There is currently no place in Gaza that could be considered safe.” “The humanitarian tragedy unfolding before our eyes has worsened with Israel’s attack on (the city of) Rafah,” he added. Fidan said that Türkiye has been striving to secure a cease-fire in Gaza, prevent the conflict from spilling over into other regions and ensure the uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid since Israel’s attacks began in October last year. He further said that Ankara, like Beijing, has highlighted the necessity of an independent, sovereign and geographically contiguous State of Palestine with its capital in East Jerusalem based on the 1967 borders within the framework of a two-state solution.
On the Russia-Ukraine war, Fidan said diplomatic channels were also being used to seek a peaceful resolution to the conflict. “Ending the Russia-Ukraine War through a cease-fire and achieving a lasting and fair peace agreement is among our foreign policy priorities,” he underlined.
Fight against terrorism
Fidan underscored the importance of combating terrorism to achieve lasting peace and security in the region, asserting that Ankara uses military, economic, diplomatic and other means to eliminate terrorist groups like Daesh, the PKK, its Syrian branch, the YPG, and the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ).
Highlighting the PKK/YPG as the most destabilizing actor in their region and pointing out their continued attacks against Türkiye from Iraq and Syria, he drew attention to the separatist aims of this group.
Underscoring Türkiye’s efforts to prevent Syria from becoming a haven for terrorist groups, Fidan said: “We support the resolution of the conflict through a political process based on the territorial integrity and unity of Syria. “In addition, we work to encourage the voluntary, safe and dignified return of Syrians to their country,” he added.
Fidan noted that Türkiye’s relations with Central Asian countries are one of the fundamental aspects of its foreign policy, adding that Ankara continues to pursue an agenda of expanded cooperation in various fields with each of these nations. He pointed to multilateral cooperation within the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) and said: “Through the organization, we work to strengthen regional connectivity, accelerate economic integration and elevate political, economic and social standards in our societies.”
The minister met in Beijing on Monday with Chen Wenqing, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the head of its Commission for Political and Legal Affairs. This was Fidan’s first visit to China as foreign minister, a position he assumed last June.
Senior Xinjiang officials meet visiting Turkish FM in Urumqi
June 6 (Global Times) — Senior officials of Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, including the regional Party chief Ma Xingrui and Erkin Tuniyaz, chairman of the regional government, met with the visiting Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and his delegation in Urumqi on Wednesday, Xinjiang Daily reported.
During the meeting, Ma welcomed Fidan’s visit to Xinjiang and said that under the strategic guidance of leaders of the two countries, friendly exchanges and practical cooperation in various fields between China and Turkey have made positive progress. And thanks to the development of China-Turkey bilateral relations, exchanges between China’s Xinjiang region and areas in Turkey have become increasingly close.
The Xinjiang region has vigorously promoted the construction of Chinese modernization, while achieving high-quality economic and social development. All ethnic groups are deeply integrated and united like pomegranate seeds, said Ma.
Terrorism is the enemy of humanity and has previously harmed social stability and people’s safety in the Xinjiang region, said Ma, noting that “we are willing to deepen cooperation with Turkey to jointly combat separatism, terrorism, and extremism.”
As the core area of the Belt and Road Initiative, the Xinjiang region is steadfastly expanding its openness, building a golden passageway between Asia and Europe, and becoming a bridgehead for opening up to the West, so it holds great potential for cooperation with Turkey, said Ma.
“We hope both China and Turkey will thoroughly implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, strengthen practical cooperation in various fields, improve the quality and level of trade, and contribute to the sustained, healthy, and stable development of China-Turkey bilateral relations,” Ma said.
Fidan said that Turkey and China both have deep and long histories, and cooperation in key areas between the two countries is actively progressing. He expressed hope that his visit will further advance the development of the strategic cooperative relationship between the two countries.
Fidan noted that during his visit to China’s Xinjiang region, he observed well-developed urban facilities, social prosperity, and good protection of various ethnic cultures and languages.
Turkey’s stance on Xinjiang-related issues is clear and firm. It resolutely opposes terrorism, does not support or participate in anti-China activities using ethnic issues, and does not allow activities in Turkey that harm China’s security or undermine China’s territorial integrity, said Fidan.
The Xinjiang region is a window for China to cooperate with Central Asia and countries such as Turkey. Both sides should work together to strengthen anti-terrorism cooperation, expand exchanges and interactions, and promote new progress in cooperation in areas such as trade, agriculture, and civil aviation, said Fidan.
Fidan is visiting China from Monday to Wednesday. On Tuesday, Chinese Vice President Han Zheng met Fidan in Beijing. On the same day, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, held talks with Fidan in Beijing.
