Türkiye is becoming a maritime power while the world focuses on the naval arms race between China and the U.S., Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken said Tuesday.
"While all eyes are focused on the naval arms race between China and the U.S., Türkiye is quietly emerging as a maritime power," Francken wrote on the social media platform X.
He is part of a delegation accompanying Belgium's Queen Mathilde, who arrived in Istanbul on Sunday, leading a high-level economic mission aimed at strengthening trade and investment ties between Brussels and Ankara.
Francken's remarks came after the delegation visited Sedef Shipyard in Istanbul.
He pointed to how Türkiye is not only ordering but also domestically building submarines, corvettes, frigates, destroyers and aircraft carriers.
"They are doing so quickly, with high quality and competitive prices. Turkish naval vessels are gradually gaining ground on the global market," he added.
The delegation on Sunday visited the Turkish drone powerhouse Baykar, which Francken described as "unique" within NATO because "it has made permanent innovation its mantra."
"This company pioneered AI-integrated armed drones. They are getting higher and flying higher and further," he said.
Before the visit, Francken praised Türkiye's defense industry as a "role model." He said Belgium sees major potential for cooperation with Türkiye in the defense sector.
On Tuesday, Francken noted that the Turkish economy has grown rapidly over the past 20 years while also managing to emerge from the inflation storm it experienced in recent years. He said one lesson he took away was that "hard times require hard measures."
"Istanbul is not only a gateway to Central Asia, but also to the Arab world – including in the media sphere. All major Arab media outlets are represented here," Francken added.
