Turkey is ready to build a greater strategic relationship with Beijing and is not worried about upsetting its traditional ally the United States and Europe, Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan said.
Babacan also said that Turkey - the only Nato member country to hold joint military exercise with China - would 'leave the door open' for the two armies to hold similar drills again.
'The 2010 military drill enhanced confidence between the two sides. Our military-to-military contact is now much closer,' Babacan said. He was referring to a joint exercise in September 2010, which was the first time that Beijing had sent troops to a Nato country.
'Turkey is a committed member of Nato but we are also very much willing to increase co-operation with China. We don't see this as mutually exclusive.
'Forget about the cliche of the last century. [We should] focus on a new era of global balance [of power]. Turkey has a sense of global responsibility and so does China,' Babacan said.
'We want to build mutual trust and better understanding.'
Babacan made the comments during a one-day visit to Hong Kong. He also disclosed that Ankara would talk to Beijing about building two nuclear power plants in Turkey.
