On May 28, 2017, H.E. Mr. Abdullah Gül, former President of Turkey visited SIIS escorted by Mr. Sabri Tunc Angili, Turkish Consul General in Shanghai. Prof. Yang Jiemian, chairman of SIIS Academic Affairs Council had a meeting with H.E. Mr. Gül and his colleagues. The two sides had a discussion on international and regional situation, and further cooperation between China and Turkey under the framework of “Belt and Road” initiative etc.
With regards to bilateral relations, H.E. Mr. Gül expressed his admiration of China’s development model with a priority on stability. He also suggested that Turkey emulate from China and play a more constructive role in regional affairs to maintain peace and stability in its neighborhood. Mr. Gül pointed out that Turkey’s Middle Corridor axis, a massive transportation network was almost the same as the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China, therefore, the two countries shared a lot of common interests. Besides infrastructure, Turkey also expects future cooperation from China in key fields like finance and tourism.
On regional dynamics, H.E. Mr. Gül attached great importance to moral ground as the foundation for both domestic and foreign policy, if only to stand the test of time. Imposing by force one’s own wills on the people or smaller nations will only lead to more radical movements in the region. Mr. Gül put the Palestinian issue as the core issue in the region, which should be solved in diplomatic way. As to China’s future role in the region, Mr. Gül was confident that China is emerging from an economic power to a comprehensive one, and he encouraged China to exert more efforts in promoting the two-state proposal to solve the Palestinian issue. Mr. Gül also sang highly of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, in that it is to increase inter-connectivity of the regions with infrastructure building thus offer more public goods for peace, stability and prosperity in the region.
