Turkey has raised the issue of Uighur Muslims during talks with China's foreign minister in Ankara, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has said. 

China approved an extradition treaty with Turkey in December and with the deal awaiting ratification by Ankara's parliament, activists among some 40,000 Uighurs living in Turkey have stepped up efforts to highlight their plight, holding regular protests in Ankara and Istanbul.

Cavusoglu, who has denied that the extradition accord will lead to Uighurs being sent back to China, said after meeting Wang Yi he had conveyed "our sensitivity and thoughts on Uighur Turks."

China has repeatedly denied allegations that it is operating detention camps in its northwestern Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, home to the Uighur community, saying instead that it is "re-educating" Uighurs.

READ MORE: Do US-China tensions present an opportunity for Turkey?

Cooperation on vaccine

Cavusoglu also said that Ankara and Beijing will enhance cooperation against the Covid-19 pandemic and on vaccines.

Turkey is using the Chinese firm Sinovac's CoronaVac jab in its inoculation effort and is currently negotiating new deliveries.

Wang also met privately with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a visit coinciding with a spike in new virus infections that follows an easing of restrictions at the start of the month.

READ MORE: Turkey to use China's CoronaVac vaccine as early as December