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China’s Xi Jinping calls for greater counter-terrorism cooperation with Turkey

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Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan review honour guards during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing in 2015. Photo: EPA

President Xi Jinping has told his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan that the two should deepen counter-terrorism cooperation, amid Chinese concern about ethnic Uygurs from its Xinjiang region fighting with militants in the Middle East.

Uygurs are a largely Muslim, Turkic-speaking minority from China’s western Xinjiang region.

Hundreds, possibly thousands, keen to escape unrest in Xinjiang, have travelled clandestinely via Southeast Asia to Turkey, where many see themselves as sharing religious and cultural ties.

Beijing says some Uygurs then end up fighting with Islamist militants in Iraq and Syria.

Meeting on the sidelines of a summit about China’s new Silk Road plan, Xi told Erdogan that developing strategic cooperation was in the interests of both countries, China’s foreign ministry said late on Saturday.

“In order to promote even greater development of relations, China and Turkey must respect and give consideration to each other’s core concerns, and deepen security and counter-terrorism cooperation,” the ministry cited Xi as saying. The ministry did not elaborate.

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