Xi calls on China, Turkey to share development opportunities

BUENOS AIRES - President Xi Jinping called on China and Turkey to strengthen cooperation and share development opportunities when meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, here on Friday.

The two leaders held talks on the sidelines of the Group of 20 (G20) summit in the Argentine capital.

Pointing out that both China and Turkey are emerging market economies, Xi urged the two countries to strengthen coordination and cooperation, share development opportunities and meet challenges and risks together.

Xi said he and the Turkish president have kept close communication in recent years and jointly led the strategic cooperation between their countries to a higher level.

He called on the relevant departments of the two countries to cooperate closely to fully implement the consensus achieved by him and the Turkish president and strive for tangible results.

Xi said China supports the efforts by Turkey to maintain its steady development. The Chinese side is willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with Turkey to jointly oppose protectionism and unilateralism and safeguard the common interest of emerging market economies.

Erdogan said he is pleased that Turkey-China relations have kept developing and deepening.

The Turkish side looks forward to carrying out closer high-level exchanges with China, speaks highly of the Belt and Road Initiative, and is ready to deepen cooperation with China in areas such as trade and economy, investment, aviation and tourism within the Belt and Road framework, he said.

The Turkish side is ready to strengthen communication and cooperation with China in international and regional affairs, he added.