Senior Turkish and Chinese officials, alongside business leaders from both countries, gathered in Istanbul on Monday for the Türkiye-China Green Development Business Forum to expand bilateral economic cooperation.
Co-organized by the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK) and the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), the event brought together Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz and Chinese Vice President Han Zheng.
Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır, Trade Minister Ömer Bolat, China Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection Group (CECEP) Chair Liao Jiasheng and CCPIT Chair Ren Hongbin also attended the forum.
Addressing the opening session, DEIK President Nail Olpak said Türkiye and China stand out globally with their strong economic potential and development achievements.
"China is a leader in green technology, while Türkiye is a country that can become a production and export hub for these technologies through its proximity to Europe and the customs union," Olpak said.
He stressed that both nations should utilize these two infrastructures as complementary assets amid shifting global competition and rising uncertainty.
Balanced trade emphasis
Olpak noted that achieving a more balanced bilateral trade relationship with China is vital for sustainability, adding that Chinese high-tech investments and incentives under the HIT-30 program and Istanbul Finance Center would support that goal.
Touching on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the Middle Corridor, Olpak said the Turkish side aims to play an active role in filling return-leg cargo containers along the route.
He added that DEIK plans to unite Turkish and international businesses during the COP31 process across areas ranging from clean energy and sustainable infrastructure to artificial intelligence.
DEIK Türkiye-China Business Council Chair Aydın Mıstaçoğlu said their primary priority is turning bilateral economic potential into concrete projects, mutual investments and long-term partnerships.
"Today, we are advancing our cooperation with a focus on green development and can develop joint projects in renewable energy, energy storage, electric mobility and low-carbon industry," Mıstaçoğlu said.
He stated that they aim to launch the Türkiye-China Technology and Innovation Center with CCPIT support as a permanent platform for technology sharing, joint research and development and investment cooperation.
He also noted that both sides agreed to hold the fourth Türkiye-China Business Conference in Beijing during the first half of 2027, hosted by CCPIT.
The forum featured panel discussions on green energy supply chains and Middle Corridor trade balance before concluding with business-to-business meetings.
Bilateral talks
Separately, Yılmaz and his Chinese counterpart Han Zheng also discussed bilateral cooperation and regional and global developments.
In a post on the Turkish social media platform NSosyal, Yılmaz described the meeting as productive.
"In line with our goal of further advancing cooperation between our countries, we discussed areas of joint work, particularly the economy and trade, connectivity, tourism, the defense industry, science and technology, as well as regional and global developments," he said.
He also emphasized Türkiye's commitment to strengthening economic ties with China on the basis of mutual benefit.
"We attach importance to making our economic relations with the People's Republic of China more balanced and sustainable on the basis of mutual benefit and to operating our existing cooperation mechanisms more effectively," he said.