Türkiye, China look to expand cooperation at economic forum

People attend the 6th Türkiye-China Economic Forum in Istanbul, Türkiye, on April 18, 2024. The 6th Türkiye-China Economic Forum opened here on Thursday with representatives exploring ways to promote bilateral trade ties and expand cooperation in more fields. (Photo by Safar Rajabov/Xinhua)

ISTANBUL, April 18 (Xinhua) -- The 6th Türkiye-China Economic Forum opened here on Thursday with representatives exploring ways to promote bilateral trade ties and expand cooperation in more fields.

Chinese Ambassador to Türkiye Liu Shaobin and business representatives from both countries, including Chinese tech firms Huawei and Xiaomi, attended the event hosted by Istanbul-based Okan University.

In his address to the forum, Liu said the two countries have seen growing bilateral economic and trade ties in recent years, showing great potential in the fields of digital economy, green economy, and new energy.

Korhan Kurdoglu, head of the China Working Group at the Turkish Industry and Business Association (TUSIAD), said Trkiye welcomes more investments from China, especially those that can deepen cooperation in tourism, energy, and new technology.

On the sidelines of the one-day event, company representatives from Türkiye and China held bilateral meetings to foster new partnerships.

Turkish Airlines chief executive Bilal Eksi and Cheng Xiaobo, director of Sichuan Airlines in Türkiye, hoped to offer more flights and air routes to help promote bilateral exchanges and tourism.

Türkiye and China saw robust trade and economic cooperation in recent years. In 2022, the bilateral trade volume was at 38.55 billion U.S. dollars. Last year, bilateral trade in goods grew to 43.40 billion dollars, according to official statistics.

Korhan Kurdoglu, head of the China Working Group at the Turkish Industry and Business Association (TUSIAD), speaks at the 6th Türkiye-China Economic Forum in Istanbul, Türkiye, on April 18, 2024. The 6th Trkiye-China Economic Forum opened here on Thursday with representatives exploring ways to promote bilateral trade ties and expand cooperation in more fields. (Photo by Safar Rajabov/Xinhua)

Chinese Ambassador to Türkiye Liu Shaobin speaks at the 6th Türkiye-China Economic Forum in Istanbul, Türkiye, on April 18, 2024. The 6th Türkiye-China Economic Forum opened here on Thursday with representatives exploring ways to promote bilateral trade ties and expand cooperation in more fields. (Photo by Safar Rajabov/Xinhua)

People attend the 6th Türkiye-China Economic Forum in Istanbul, Türkiye, on April 18, 2024. The 6th Türkiye-China Economic Forum opened here on Thursday with representatives exploring ways to promote bilateral trade ties and expand cooperation in more fields. (Photo by Safar Rajabov/Xinhua)