By Faruk Zorlu and Busranur Koca
China's Ambassador to Türkiye, Liu Shaobin, extended congratulations to the Turkish people on the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Türkiye.
He expressed hope for Türkiye’s greater advancements and increased prosperity in its journey in the new century.
In commemoration of the centennial Republic of Türkiye, Liu shared his views about current Türkiye-China relations, background of relations and the significance of the relationship.
The ambassador pointed out that China and Türkiye's relationship dates back more than 2,000 years and he emphasized that since 2010, cooperation has increased across various fields, including politics, economy, culture, technology, education and security.
He underscored that developments were founded on respect and support, establishing a strong political foundation for relations.
Highlighting the importance of China and Türkiye progressing in the direction of peace, friendship and cooperation, Shaobin emphasized the need for concrete cooperation between the two countries.
He described China and Türkiye as countries with significant global influence and noted they can play positive roles in international and regional peace, stability, development and prosperity, ultimately contributing to the world's greater well-being.
During the past few years, cooperation has seen increased momentum, driven by the guidance of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, he said.
He noted high-level contacts established in politics, citing a face-to-face meeting in July, where Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met China's newly-appointed Foreign Minister Wang Yi in the Turkish capital of Ankara for talks.
Emphasizing that China and Türkiye are determined to support each other in maintaining their sovereignties, independence and territorial integrity, the ambassador said China is Türkiye's largest trading partner in Asia and the third-largest trading partner globally.
Shaobin highlighted that Türkiye hosts more than 1,000 Chinese companies, actively participating in Ankara's development. Various projects in Türkiye are successfully progressing in alignment with China's Belt and Road initiative and Türkiye's Middle Corridor project, he said.
In a message to the Turkish people for Türkiye's Republic Day centennial on Oct. 29, the ambassador conveyed the sincerest congratulations from the Chinese people.
He praised the Turkish nation for adhering to the tradition of independence, staunchly opposing foreign intervention and resolutely safeguarding their country's rights and interests. And the Turkish people for finding a development path suitable to their national conditions after a century of pursuit, he said.
Shaobin expressed hope for a very promising future where Türkiye will continue to make greater strides in its new-century journey, gradually gaining more prosperity and making its people happier.
He commenced his post in Türkiye on Oct. 29, 2020, and noted the personal significance of the date.
He reiterated that China and Türkiye, by enhancing cooperation and relations, will provide additional benefits to both nations' populations and strive for the happiness of the people in both countries, he said.
Highlighting that China has achieved its century-long goal, he stressed that both countries are in the process of realizing their "great dreams," and mutually supporting each other will undoubtedly lead to collaborative developments.