China and Turkey agree closer trade and counterterrorism links amid mainland fears over illegal Uygur migrants
Both states put aside concerns over treatment of Uygurs during talks
China and Turkey have pledged to strengthen cooperation in trade and counterterrorism and keep bilateral ties “on the right track”, despite concerns over illegal Uygur migrants travelling from Xinjiang to Turkey.
Mainland officials also said Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan was welcome to meet representatives from China’s Uygur and Hui ethnic communities, Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency quoted Turkish presidential sources as saying.
Turkey was a victim of terrorism and Ankara would not allow its strategic cooperation with China to be affected by ill-minded forces, Erdogan said during a meeting on Wednesday with officials including President Xi Jinping and Minister of Public Security Guo Shengkun, according to reports by Xinhua news agency and China Central Television.
Erdogan reiterated that Ankara supported the one-China policy and was opposed to terrorist activities carried out by the East Turkestan Islamic Movement founded by Uygur extremists, which Beijing lists as a terrorist group.
Xi said he appreciated Erdogan’s stance and called for law enforcement and security cooperation between the two countries to “ensure the bilateral strategic cooperation is on the right track”.
The Turkish delegation in Beijing also raised concerns during the meeting with Chinese officials about Beijing’s reported ban on fasting in the mainly Muslim Xinjiang region during the holy month of Ramadan – a move that sparked sweeping protests in Turkey earlier this month, Anadolu Agency said.