Trade, Infrastructure and Human Rights: Assessment of Evolving Türkiye-China Relations

During the Cold War, bipolarity positioned Türkiye and China at opposing ends of the political spectrum. The international system and Türkiye’s foreign policy choices maintained this political separation.Footnote1 Nonetheless, Türkiye established diplomatic relations with China in August 1971, marking the formal initiation of bilateral ties between the two nations. However, significant advancements in the bilateral relationship were realized later when the Turkish government took a moderate line on the Uyghur diaspora in the late 1990s.Footnote2 This facilitated a more conducive environment for enhancing Türkiye’s relations with China, paving the way for stronger bilateral ties between the two countries, and strategic cooperation in 2010.