UPDATE - Turkish, Chinese foreign ministers meet in Ankara

UPDATES WITH DETAILS REGARDING MEETING

By Diyar Guldogan and Muhammed Enes Calli

ANKARA / ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Wednesday met with China's newly appointed Foreign Minister Wang Yi in the capital Ankara for talks.

The visit came a day after Wang assumed the post as China removed his predecessor Qin Gang, who was not seen in public for a month.

During the meeting, the effective utilization of dialogue and consultation mechanisms between the two countries such as the Joint Governmental Committee on Cooperation, Foreign Ministers' Consultation Mechanism, Consular Consultations, and Joint Economic Commission was addressed, according to Turkish diplomatic sources.

Fidan and Wang discussed intensifying economic and trade relations, aligning the Belt and Road Initiative and the Middle Corridor initiatives, as well as matters concerning nuclear energy, agriculture, civil aviation, culture, and tourism, said the sources who requested anonymity.

They also talked about the ways to achieve more balanced and sustainable structure in bilateral trade and increasing mutual investments between two countries.

The situation of the Uyghur community in Xinjiang was also discussed during the visit.

They also exchanged views on current regional and international issues with the developments in the Middle East, the situation in Ukraine, and the global financial system.

Later on Wednesday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan received Wang at the presidential complex.

Wang’s trip was planned before his re-appointment as foreign minister. He also serves as director of the office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China's Central Committee.

Chinese officials announced last week that Wang would travel to Türkiye as part of a tour including Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa following the BRICS meeting in Johannesburg.

Diplomatic relations between Türkiye and China were established in 1971. Bilateral relations were elevated to the level of "strategic cooperation" in 2010.