Turkey and China pledge security cooperation

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu visited Beijing to reinforce security, trade and cultural ties between the two countries.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) shakes hands with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu during their meeting at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China. August 03, 2017.
TRT World and Agencies

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) shakes hands with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu during their meeting at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China. August 03, 2017.

Turkey and China on Thursday have repeatedly vowed to step up cooperation on security and counter-terrorism during Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu's visit to China ahead of his trip to the Philippines.

Cavusoglu's visit follows President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's trip in May, where he met President Xi Jinping and attended a meeting on China's One Belt, One Road project, aiming to stimulate global trade and growth through a campaign of infrastructure development.

"We take China's security as our security," Cavusoglu said during a joint news briefing with Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing.

"We absolutely will not allow in Turkey any activities targeting or opposing China. Additionally, we will take measures to eliminate any media reports targeting China," he added, but did not give details.

Wang said "deepening our collaboration on anti-terror and security is the most central part" of the two countries' relationship.

Cavusoglu added that Turkey "fully appreciated all the actions China has taken" in combating Daesh as well as reaching a political settlement in the Syrian War.

Turkey is also looking to boost ties in education, tourism and culture, Cavusoglu said.

"We hope that Chinese tourist numbers will increase. We expect 3 million of the 100 million [Chinese] tourists going abroad every year to come to Turkey."

Agricultural produce is a major portion of the increased trade between the two countries, the minister added, as Turkey continues negotiations with China and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

"China is willing to work with Turkey to enhance the ancient spirit of the Silk Road ... and in jointly promoting the Belt and Road plan unlock new cooperative potential," Wang said.

Also, China has expressed openness toward Turkey joining the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, a security alliance comprised of Russia and several central Asian states that is seen as a counterweight to NATO.

After China, Cavusoglu will travel to Manila to meet foreign ministers from 26 nations at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit.

Although not a member of the 10-country bloc, Turkey formed ties with ASEAN in 1999, attended its first summit in 2013 and has applied for ASEAN partnership.

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