The ‘Middle Corridor’ serves as an alternative to the northern corridor connecting China to Europe. It stretches from Turkey through the Caucasus region, then crosses the Caspian Sea, passing through Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan to reach China. The ‘Belt and Road Initiative’, also known as the 21st Century ‘Silk Road’, is a massive Chinese project aimed at developing infrastructure and enhancing global economic corridors through enormous investments connecting more than 70 countries.
Erdogan pointed out to Xi during their talks the need to make bilateral trade between Turkey and China more balanced and sustainable by boosting investments. A statement from the Turkish presidency explained that Erdogan and Xi Jinping discussed ways to expand economic cooperation, with a focus on digital technology, energy, health, and tourism, in addition to encouraging Chinese company investments in Turkey and activating existing consultation mechanisms.
Erdogan also confirmed his country’s support for the ‘One China’ policy, praising the strategic relations between Ankara and Beijing, and appreciating Xi’s initiative on ‘global governance’. The meeting also addressed developments in Gaza, the Ukrainian crisis, and joint efforts to revive Syria. Erdogan expressed his gratitude to his Chinese counterpart for the special invitation to attend the summit, affirming Turkey’s keen interest in actively contributing to the work of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is an international organization founded in 2001 and includes Russia, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, and Uzbekistan. Belarus officially joined the organization at the summit held in Astana on July 4, 2024. The observer states are Afghanistan and Mongolia, and the dialogue partner countries in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization are Azerbaijan, Armenia, Bahrain, Egypt, Cambodia, Qatar, Kuwait, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Sri Lanka.
