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Anti-China Protests In Turkey Take Toll On Economic Ties

06.07.2015 18:38

While nationwide anti-China protests over Chinese authorities' treatment of Uighur Muslims in autonomous Xinjiang show no signs of abating across Turkey, the souring relations have begun to affect economic ties, with several Chinese companies freezing their investment projects in Turkey.Relations between.

While nationwide anti-China protests over Chinese authorities' treatment of Uighur Muslims in autonomous Xinjiang show no signs of abating across Turkey, the souring relations have begun to affect economic ties, with several Chinese companies freezing their investment projects in Turkey.

Relations between China and Turkey have deteriorated over Beijing's policies toward the Uighur people, whose traditional home is in the far western region of Xinjiang. Many Turks see themselves as sharing religious and cultural ties with Uighurs, who have reportedly been banned from worship and fasting during the holy month of Ramadan.

There were new protests in various parts of Turkey on Monday. The sensitive issue began to take a toll on economic relations, with Chinese mining companies and other businessmen suspending their programs and visits in coming weeks in Turkey.

"We should show our protest with common sense and in a democratic manner," said Ali Kahyaoğlu, head of the İstanbul Mineral Exporters' Association (İMİB), who pointed to a steep decline in natural stone exports to China from Turkey. The Chinese market is of crucial importance for Turkish stone exporters and has become their largest market.

Kahyaoğlu was not alone in his concerns over the surge in protests, reflecting an emerging sense of anxiety among businessmen who warn of the unpleasant consequences of prolonged protests against China.

Leading officials from the Turkish tourism sector expressed concerns over reports of an attack against Korean tourists during a protest in İstanbul on Saturday, reminding of the catastrophic consequences for tourism at a time of sluggishness in the sector due to the decline in numbers of foreign tourists, especially from Russia.

Rattled by the incident in which, according to media reports, a group of protesters targeted Korean tourists by mistake, Cappadocia Hoteliers and Administrators Association (KAPTİD) President Yakup Dinler expressed dismay over the disturbance, saying that this kind of action against tourists is unacceptable and unfathomable.

China says Xinjiang has no 'ethnic problem' after Turkey protests

China has no "ethnic problem" in its far west, and Muslim Uighur minorities there enjoy freedom of religion, the Foreign Ministry said on Monday, following anti-China protests in Turkey over Beijing's treatment of the group.

"Uighurs live and work in peace and contentment and enjoy freedom of religion under the rules in the constitution," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters at a regular briefing. "So the so-called 'Xinjiang ethnic problem' you mentioned that has been raised in some reports simply does not exist."

Hundreds of protesters marched on the Chinese Consulate in İstanbul on Sunday, bearing flags and chanting anti-China slogans outside the building.

Turkey vowed last week to keep its doors open to Uighur migrants fleeing persecution in China. Turkey has also irked China by expressing concern over the reports of restrictions on Uighurs during Ramadan.

Hundreds of people have been killed over the past three years in a series of attacks in Xinjiang. Beijing has blamed the attacks on radical militants who seek to form an independent state called East Turkestan.

(Cihan/Today's Zaman)



 
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