Xi meets Turkey’s Erdogan, talks focus on security, trade
November 15, 2015, 8:38 am

Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) shakes hands with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Antalya, Turkey, Nov. 14, 2015 [Xinhua]

Xi is in Turkey to attend the G20 Summit.

“Both sides should make full use of the platforms such as the Silk Road Fund and the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank to innovate cooperation channel and mode so as to achieve common development and prosperity,” Xi was quoted by Chinese agency Xinhua.

A map unveiled by Xinhua shows the Chinese plans for the Silk Road run through Central China to the northern Xinjiang from where it travels through Central Asia entering Kazakhstan and onto Iraq, Iran, Syria and then Istanbul in Turkey from where it runs across Europe cutting across Germany, Netherlands and Italy.

The Chinese president suggested expanding the use of each other’s own currency for bilateral trade and investment facilitation.

Security cooperation between the two countries should be deepened, Xi said.

On the upcoming summit of G20, Xi said China is ready to maintain close coordination with Turkey to increase G20’s role in global economic governance.

Turkey is willing to actively participate in the cooperation within the framework of Belt and Road initiative and would welcome Chinese enterprises to invest more in Turkey in fields such as infrastructure, Erdogan said.

The Turkish president also said Turkey “will never allow any group to conduct anti-China activities or activities that undermine the Sino-Turkish relationship on its soil”, according to a Xinhua report.

The leaders of China and Turkey agreed to strengthen cooperation in fighting terror and people smuggling, following friction between the two over Uighurs from China’s Xinjiang who have fled to Turkey.

China’s Ministry of Commerce figures show bilateral trade volume between China and Turkey in 2014 surpassed $20.9 billion, registering a year-on-year increase of 3.57 per cent.

China and Turkey, both important members of the G20, face mounting common challenges and obligations against the backdrop of a complex and volatile international situation, a gloomy global economy and grim security situation in West Asia and North Africa, said the Chinese president during Erdogan’s visit to China earlier this year.

During Saturday’s meeting, both leaders expressed severe condemnation over the terror attacks in Paris on Friday night.

Turkey has also been looking to China for its defense needs.

Turkey is open to an improved offer from preferred bidder China in a long-range missile defense system tender, Erdogan said in July, reviving a deal that has raised security concerns among NATO allies.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, Xi will also hold an informal meet with BRICS leaders in Antalya.

During the G20 summit, Xi is expected to elaborate China’s views on the world economic situation, advance cooperation to address challenges and jointly explore new impetus for global economic growth.

After the summit, Xi will fly to Manila, the Philippines to attend the 23rd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders’ Meeting scheduled for Nov. 18-19.

The G-20 consists of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) countries and Turkey, the US, Italy, France, Germany, the UK, Canada, Japan, Australia, Indonesia, Argentina, Mexico, South Korea, Saudi Arabia plus the European Union.

TBP and Agencies