Turkey, China strengthen trade ties
Baku, October 8 (AZERTAC). Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao have signed a series of bilateral agreements and pledged to boost trade between the countries to $100 billion by 2020.
The two leaders announced eight trade agreements Friday during a news conference in Ankara. The agreements include collaborating on infrastructure and railway projects as well as cultural exchanges.
Mr. Erdogan said both countries agreed to use their own currencies for trade.
China and Turkey are among the world`s fastest growing economies. Analysts say trade volume between the two countries stood at about $14.2 billion last year.
On Thursday, China`s official Xinhua news agency quoted the country`s ambassador to Turkey as saying Mr. Wen`s visit to Turkey signaled an end to diplomatic strains caused by deadly riots last year in China`s western Xinjiang province. Many of the rioters were Muslim Uighurs, members of an ethnic group with ethnic and cultural ties to Turkey.
On Friday, about one hundred Uighur supporters protested against Mr. Wen`s visit to Turkey and China`s treatment of the minority group.
Turkey is the last stop on Mr. Wen`s four-nation European tour.
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