Turkey and China are two ancient civilizations with historic links in blood-line, trade, and strategic thinking. At the beginning of the 21st century, both countries are at the crossroads of an epochal shift of world ...Turkey and China are two ancient civilizations with historic links in blood-line, trade, and strategic thinking. At the beginning of the 21st century, both countries are at the crossroads of an epochal shift of world gravitas from the West to the East and from the advanced to the developing countries. China is set to overtake the United States as the world＇s largest economy probably within this decade. Under President XI Jinping, the country is pursuing a China Dream of renaissance in the coming years, harking back to China＇s glorious past. This resonates well with Turkey＇s ambition to achieve a similar goal by the hundredth anniversary of Ataturk in 2023. The horizon for cooperation is full of exciting possibilities, including high-speed rail from China＇s industrial seaboard passing through Turkey to the seaports in Western Europe; a customs-free expressway from the Western border of China through Kazakhstan and Belarus to Amsterdam; linking Bosphorus to China＇s world-leading container ports; investments in telecommunications and mining in the Central Asia region; partnership in a host of African ＂special economic zones＂ being managed by China; and capitalizing on the internationalization of the RMB, the Chinese yuan, to grow Istanbul to a world-class financial centre. In the light of these and other opportunities, there is no reason why areas of possible divergence between the two countries cannot be adequately managed. These include Turkey＇s cultural links with the Uyghur ＂separatists＂ in China＇s Xinjiang Province, membership of US- dominated North Atlantic Treaty Organization （NATO）, and different approaches to international conflicts such as Syria. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization （SCO）, in which China is playing a leading part, may be a strategic theatre where Turkey-China cooperation may be enhanced and their differences minimized. In short, as the tide of history is rapidly turning, Turkey and China are likely to find themselves as serendipitous partners on a New Silk Road to Renaissance in the coming decades.展开更多
文摘Turkey and China are two ancient civilizations with historic links in blood-line, trade, and strategic thinking. At the beginning of the 21st century, both countries are at the crossroads of an epochal shift of world gravitas from the West to the East and from the advanced to the developing countries. China is set to overtake the United States as the world＇s largest economy probably within this decade. Under President XI Jinping, the country is pursuing a China Dream of renaissance in the coming years, harking back to China＇s glorious past. This resonates well with Turkey＇s ambition to achieve a similar goal by the hundredth anniversary of Ataturk in 2023. The horizon for cooperation is full of exciting possibilities, including high-speed rail from China＇s industrial seaboard passing through Turkey to the seaports in Western Europe; a customs-free expressway from the Western border of China through Kazakhstan and Belarus to Amsterdam; linking Bosphorus to China＇s world-leading container ports; investments in telecommunications and mining in the Central Asia region; partnership in a host of African ＂special economic zones＂ being managed by China; and capitalizing on the internationalization of the RMB, the Chinese yuan, to grow Istanbul to a world-class financial centre. In the light of these and other opportunities, there is no reason why areas of possible divergence between the two countries cannot be adequately managed. These include Turkey＇s cultural links with the Uyghur ＂separatists＂ in China＇s Xinjiang Province, membership of US- dominated North Atlantic Treaty Organization （NATO）, and different approaches to international conflicts such as Syria. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization （SCO）, in which China is playing a leading part, may be a strategic theatre where Turkey-China cooperation may be enhanced and their differences minimized. In short, as the tide of history is rapidly turning, Turkey and China are likely to find themselves as serendipitous partners on a New Silk Road to Renaissance in the coming decades.
