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President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday to discuss aligning Türkiye's Middle Corridor project with China's Belt and Road Initiative, as both leaders explored deeper economic cooperation during Türkiye's participation in a major regional summit.
The bilateral meeting took place on the sidelines of the 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organization Heads of State Council meeting in Tianjin, where Türkiye participates as a dialogue partner in the security-focused bloc that includes Russia, China and several Central Asian nations.
Erdogan emphasized the importance of taking "joint steps to harmonize the Middle Corridor and the Belt and Road Initiative," according to Türkiye's Communications Directorate.
The Middle Corridor aims to create an alternative trade route connecting Asia and Europe through the Caucasus and Türkiye, potentially offering an alternative to routes through Russia.
The leaders also addressed ongoing global conflicts, discussing the situation in Gaza, the Russia-Ukraine war, and coordinated approaches toward Syria's development, the directorate said.
Both presidents agreed to maintain regular consultation and cooperation mechanisms between their countries, signaling an institutionalization of diplomatic engagement despite Türkiye's NATO membership and China's partnerships with Russia and Iran.
On economic cooperation, Erdogan stressed that bilateral trade should be "supported by investments to ensure its balance and sustainability."
He highlighted potential collaboration in digital technologies, energy, healthcare and tourism sectors, calling for increased coordination among Chinese companies seeking to invest in Türkiye.
The Turkish president reaffirmed Ankara's commitment to the "one-China policy" regarding Taiwan and underscored what he called the "strategic dimension" of bilateral relations.
In a separate opinion piece published Sunday in China's People's Daily, Erdogan positioned Türkiye as a bridge-building nation committed to resolving global crises through diplomacy.
He cited Türkiye's role in facilitating the Black Sea Grain Initiative during the Ukraine war and hosting peace negotiations, including what he described as "renewed peace talks in Istanbul in July 2025."
"There are no winners in war and no losers in a fair peace," Erdogan wrote, outlining Türkiye's diplomatic approach to international conflicts.
Erdogan also addressed the Gaza conflict, calling Israeli actions "brutality and genocide" and advocating for "a fully independent and sovereign Palestinian State" based on 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
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