ISTANBUL (A.A) - 19.04.2002 - State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Devlet Bahceli said Friday that Turkey attributed great importance to the relations with China and added that he wished that the cooperation would be further developed in all fields appropriate to the affluent potential of the two countries.
Foreign Economic Affairs Council (DEIK)/Turkish-Chinese Business Council and Chinese Embassy in Ankara hosted a luncheon in honor of Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongji at Ciragan Palace.
Bahceli said that Zhu's visit to Turkey was very positive and stated that he thought that the visit provided very significant results.
Pointing out that his visit was a very important turning point for the development of the cooperation and improvement of the friendly relations between the two countries, Bahceli said that the target was to exert mutual efforts to protect this acceleration.
He said that the official visit which he would pay to China in May would be an important opportunity in line with this aim.
Bahceli went on saying that Turkey attributed great importance to the relations with China and added that the relations between Turkey and China were developing in a stable line also with Turkish foreign policy's opening step to Far East countries harmoniously.
Bahceli said, ''China is one of the most important target markets for Turkey with its big economy and significant place in the world trade. Within this framework, Turkey, which is one of the countries to complete the bilateral negotiations firstly, supported China from the beginning of the membership process to the World Trade Organization (WTO). Turkey is very pleased China's joining WTO.''
Bahceli went on saying, ''when we look at the geographical locations of China and Turkey, we see that China is a key country in the entrance to the Asian Pacific market and Turkey forms a bridge among the European Union (EU), Middle East and African countries.''
He also said that he believed that the protocol, which was signed after Turkey-China Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JEC) 14th term meeting held in the beginning of this month, would contribute to further develop the economic and commercial relations between the two countries.
BAHCELI: TURKISH CONSULTANCY FIRMS ARE WILLING TO PARTICIPATE ACTIVELY IN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES THAT WILL TAKE PLACE IN CHINA IN 2008
Bahceli who spoke at the luncheon said that they considered the agreements which Zhu signed during his visit to Turkey as very important steps which were taken towards development of commercial and economic relations between the two countries.
He said that there were cooperation possibilities on many fields between Turkey and China.
Bahceli said that he welcomed last developments, which would lead to increase mutual visits and develop tourism relations between the two countries, with great pleasure.
He stated, ''we assess Chinese government's last decision which gives opportunity to Turkey to be a target tourism country as a very important development.''
Pointing out that there were significant cooperation possibilities on energy and railway fields between the two countries, Bahceli said that they would be pleased that Chinese firms also activated in energy market which was liberated with the natural gas and electricity market laws.
Bahceli went on saying, ''there is a significant cooperation potential also in contracting services field. Within this framework, I believe that Turkish and Chinese firms of contracting services will direct towards joint investments both in the two countries and also the third countries.''
''Turkish contracting services and consultancy firms which activated in Russian Federation, Central Asian Republics and Middle East countries wanted to take place in the infrastructure projects of Olympic Games which would be held in 2008,'' he added.
Bahceli also said that Zhu's visit to Turkey provided very important contributions in strengthening the relations between Turkish and Chinese people.