UPDATE - Türkiye, China play major roles in protecting global supply chain: Turkish foreign minister

ADDS REMARKS FROM TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER; CHANGES HEAD, DECK, LEDE

By Anadolu Staff

ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan 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, a trade route that 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 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to China in 2019 and the emphasis on 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.

- Humanitarian 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 in use here 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.

-Terror activities, peace efforts in region

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/ISIS, the PKK, its Syrian branch the YPG, and the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).

Highlighting the PKK and PKK/YPG as the most destabilizing actors in their region and pointing out their continued attacks against Türkiye from Iraq and Syria, he drew attention to the separatist aims of these groups.

In its nearly 40-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK — listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US and the EU — has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.

FETO and its US-based leader Fethullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016 in which 252 people were killed and 2,734 wounded in Türkiye.

Gulen has long lived in the US state of Pennsylvania. Since the 2016 coup attempt, Turkish leaders have sought the extradition of Gulen, but US officials have not approved this, saying that what Türkiye submitted falls short of the standard required. The refusal to extradite Gulen has long been a thorn in the side of Turkish-US relations.

Underscoring Türkiye's efforts to prevent Syria from becoming a haven for terrorist organizations, 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 and said: "Through the organization, we work to strengthen regional connectivity, accelerate economic integration and elevate political, economic and social standards in our societies."

Fidan delivered a speech on Türkiye-China Relations in the Changing World Order on the first day of his visit to Beijing on Monday, his ministry said in a statement.

He met in Beijing 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, the ministry said in a separate post on X.

Earlier on Monday, the Turkish foreign minister arrived in the Chinese capital for a three-day official visit at the invitation of his counterpart Wang Yi, who visited Türkiye last July.

This was Fidan's first visit to China as foreign minister, a position he assumed last June.

*Writing by Esra Tekin in Istanbul