China’s Consulate General in Istanbul hosted a Spring Festival reception last week under the theme “A Heartwarming Spring Festival, Celebrating the Chinese New Year” with the attendance of nearly 500 guests.
Participants included Ambassador Ayşe Sözen Usluer, Istanbul representative of Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry, Istanbul Deputy Governor Mehmet Sülün, consuls general of various countries serving in the city, representatives of the Chinese community in the consular district, officials from Chinese-funded companies and institutions, students and members of the press.
In his remarks, Consul General Wei Xiaodong extended his sincere greetings and best wishes on the occasion of the Spring Festival. He said that under the strategic guidance of the two countries’ leaders, the strategic cooperative relationship between China and Türkiye has continued to develop steadily.
Remarking on the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Türkiye and China, Xiaodong noted that “China-Türkiye relations are entering a more mature new phase. State-to-state relations thrive when peoples grow closer. Looking ahead, we stand ready to further align development strategies with the Turkish side, expand practical cooperation across various fields, and jointly open the second decade of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.”
The consul general also expressed hope to enhance deeper bilateral ties in the new year, offering joint efforts for common development and injecting new momentum into the China-Türkiye friendship.
“In 2025, President Xi Jinping and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a successful meeting on the margins of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in Tianjin, reaching broad consensus on jointly advancing high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, enhancing trade and investment, strengthening cooperation in infrastructure, new energy, agriculture and health care, and promoting exchanges in education and tourism,” he stated.
On the other hand, speaking at the reception, Ambassador Ayşe Sözen Usluer said it was a great pleasure to mark the Chinese New Year, which she described as holding profound significance for the Chinese people. She extended New Year’s greetings to the people of China and to Chinese friends in Türkiye.
Usluer also said the Spring Festival symbolizes renewal, hope and solidarity values, she said are also central to Turkish culture. She underlined that bilateral ties have gained momentum in recent years through high-level contacts and added that China became Türkiye’s largest trading partner as of 2025.
“Under the visionary leadership of President Erdoğan and President Xi Jinping, we continue to develop our bilateral relations in line with mutual respect and to the interests of our peoples, while further strengthening our strategic trust,” she added.
Also known as the Lunar New Year, the Spring Festival is China’s most important traditional holiday, symbolizing family reunions and new beginnings. The reception combined diplomatic engagement with cultural celebration.
