Turkey is deepening its economic ties with China, despite growing international criticism of China’s crackdown on the Uighur minority in the Xinjiang region. Later this week, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will make a visit to Turkey. Analysts say the two sides will likely not talk about the Xinjiang issue.
Earlier this month, Xiaomi Mobile opened a factory in Istanbul.
Turkish Technology Minister Mustafa Valanke was on hand to welcome the Chinese investment.
Xiaomi’s factory in Turkey is the latest development in the two countries’ rapidly developing close ties.
Gagdas Sunar, professor of political science at Marmara University, said, “The economic and trade relations between the two countries have experienced high growth in the past 20 years or so since 2000. In the last four or five years, this relationship has further intensified. This is not only on an economic level, but also on a political and ideological level.”
China recently bought out an Italian company’s stake in the new No. 3 bridge in Istanbul. The bridge is a local landmark. China is currently one of the largest investors in Turkey.
Traditional European investors are pulling out of the country as European Union countries launch sanctions against Turkey in response to human rights concerns. Analysts say the sanctions are causing Turkey and the West to drift apart.
Retired Turkish Admiral Kem Gudnez said, “These hostile acts against Turkey, while not intended to be coercive, will quickly and eventually push Turkey toward Eurasian powers such as Russia and China. Now, the Asian century has begun.”
Beijing is also increasing its financial assistance to Ankara, meant to prop up the depreciating Turkish currency.
China is also Turkey’s number one supplier of the new crown vaccine.
Turkey has deepened its relations with China while remaining largely silent about Beijing’s repressive policies in the Uighur region of Xinjiang. But within the Turkish government, there are those who are uneasy about China’s growing influence.
China is coming from the East and will hurt us all,” said Mesut Kashin, an adviser to the Turkish president. You can look at their human rights record. They are killing Uighurs.”
Turkey is one of the main host countries for Uighur refugees. These refugees include many dissidents.
China is pressuring Turkey to pass an extradition deal so that Uighurs in its territory can be brought back to China.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is expected to renew pressure on the extradition agreement during his visit to Turkey.
There is still a strong pro-Uyghur lobby in Turkey,” said Cyron Elchenko, a professor at Western Cross Liverpool University. This group is also the vote bank of the current government. As a result, the Turkish government will essentially oscillate between appeasing China and pleasing domestic voters. And this perceived unpredictability by China has prevented it from fully engaging with Turkey.”
Just before Wang Yi departed for Turkey, there were reports that Beijing had submitted to Ankara a list of Uighur dissidents that China wanted extradited back to the country.
Turkey’s currency is under increasing pressure, so support from China is especially important. Ankara thus faces a difficult choice.
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