THE 40th ANNIVERSARY OF TURKISH-CHINESE FRIENDSHIP
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ugur bakici
China Daily News & Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China Chinese President Hu Jintao and his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul exchanged congratulatory messages on the 40th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations on August 2, 2011
In his message, Hu said since China and Turkey forged diplomatic ties 40 years ago, bilateral relations have
enjoyed steady development with frequent high-level exchanges, increasing political trust, deepening pragmatic cooperation, fruitful people-to-people and cultural exchanges and close communication and coordination in international and regional affairs. China values the traditional friendship with Turkey and attaches importance to the development of China-Turkey relations, Hu said. Taking the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties as an opportunity, Hu said, China is willing to work with Turkey to turn a new chapter in the China-Turkey friendship by maintaining all-level personnel exchanges, deepening mutually beneficial cooperation, broadening cultural exchanges and together safeguarding the interests of developing countries.
Gul said in his message that China is Turkey's important partner with great international influence and economic strength. Turkey would like to advance bilateral ties from a long-term and strategic perspective. In 2010, the two countries upgraded bilateral ties to strategic relationship of cooperation, which was in the interest of the two peoples, Gul said. Turkey and China have great cooperative potential. Turkey is willing to explore and use such potential to push forward bilateral ties under the framework of the strategic relationship of cooperation, Gul said.
On the same day, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao also exchanged congratulatory messages with his counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Wen said since the establishment of diplomatic ties 40 years ago, China-Turkey friendly cooperative relations have been developing continuously with the joint efforts of both sides. The establishment of the China-Turkey strategic relationship of cooperation in October 2010 demonstrated bilateral ties had entered a new phase. China is willing to make joint efforts with Turkey to move forward bilateral relations.
Erdogan said in his message both countries have long history and splendid culture. Over the past four decades, both sides have been committed to advancing bilateral ties in order to safeguard common interests of both peoples. It is a common task of both countries to uplift the level of bilateral cooperation on the basis of long-term, robust and all-dimension strategic cooperation.
Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi also exchanged congratulatory messages with his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu.
HISTORY
China and Turkey established diplomatic relations on August 4, 1971. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, Sino-Turkish relations have been developing smoothly. Especially, since 1980s, the exchanges between the two countries have been increased and the relations have developed rapidly. Turkish leaders who visited China are President Evren (December 1982), Prime Minister Ozal (July 1985), Speaker of the Grand National Assembly Karaduman (October 1985), President Demirel (May 1995) and Speaker of the Grand National Assembly Kalemuli (August 1996). Chinese leaders who visited Turkey are President Li Xiannian (March, 1984), Premier Zhao Ziyang (July, 1986), Chairman of the Eighth Standing Committee of National People's Congress Qiao Shi (November, 1996) and Chairman of the Ninth Standing Committee of National People's Congress Li Peng (April, 1999), In April 2002, Premier Zhu Rongji of the State Council of China visited Turkey.