Politics
22:00, 13-May-2017
China, Turkey to strengthen cooperation under Belt and Road Initiative
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Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday the two countries will strengthen cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative.
Xi spoke highly of Turkey's support for and active participation in the Belt and Road development, saying that China is ready to steadily advance major projects of cooperation with Turkey under the initiative.
He urged continuous efforts to push forward cooperation on the Online Silk Road, facility construction and industrial cooperation, as well as to promote policy coordination and trade balance.
China welcomes the Turkish side to hold a Turkey tourism year in China in 2018, and is ready to boost bilateral people-to-people exchanges with the country, taking the opportunity of an agreement to set up cultural centers on both sides, Xi said.
Meanwhile, Erdogan expressed a positive attitude toward advancing pragmatic cooperation with China, saying the upcoming forum is very important.
Turkey stands ready to strengthen cooperation with China in such areas as investment, transportation networks and infrastructure construction, and welcomes Chinese businesses to invest in Turkey, Erdogan noted, adding that Turkey is willing to keep in touch with China on the Middle East situation.
The two presidents witnessed the signing of several documents on cooperation in judicial, transportation and cultural areas.
Erdogan arrived in Beijing on Saturday to participate in the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, which will be held in the Chinese capital on May 14 and 15.
A total of 29 heads of state and government will attend the forum, the highest-profile international meeting on the Belt and Road Initiative since it was proposed by President Xi in 2013.
At a press conference on Friday ahead of his visit, Erdogan said Turkey will play a key role in the Belt and Road Initiative as its geography and cultural heritage bridge links between the East and the West, and it's an indispensable partner with China.
"During this visit, we will take concrete steps, for which we have made preparations earlier, towards improving structure and context of bilateral relations and boosting cooperation," Erdogan stressed.
The efforts will have an positive impact not only on Turkey-China relations, but also worldwide, he added.
(With inputs from Xinhua)