Turkey's Erdogan in China amid tensions over Uighurs
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has met with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping as well as other high-ranking Chinese officials in Beijing amid differences over China's treatment of the Uighur Muslim minority.
The meeting was held on Wednesday and Erdogan was welcomed by Xi outside Beijing's Great Hall of the People before the talks started.
The two leaders highlighted the importance of strengthening bilateral ties.
"At present we are moving in a constructive direction bringing more content to our strategic cooperative relationship," Erdogan told Xi.
Xi, for his part, stressed that China and Turkey “should support each other on major issues and deepen their strategic cooperative relationship.”
The meeting comes against the backdrop of recent rise of anger in Turkey over reports that members of the Uighur Muslim minority have faced restrictions in practicing their faith, particularly during the holy fasting month of Ramadan.
The Turkic and largely Muslim minority reside in China’s northwestern region of Xinjiang, where they say they are subject to cultural and religious restrictions as well as economic marginalization.
Scores of Uighurs have purportedly escaped China in recent years, with some traveling through Southeast Asia in an attempt to reach Turkey.
Tensions between Ankara and Beijing soared further over the issue of a number of Uighurs who escaped China to seek refuge in Thailand. Turkey, whose citizens have linguistic, cultural and religious ties with Uighur Muslims, offered to shelter them in a move that was not welcomed by Beijing.
Thailand announced earlier this month that it had deported about 100 Uighurs back to China, after sending more than 170 Uighur women and children to Turkey in late June.
Hundreds of people rallied in Istanbul this month and torched Chinese flags outside China's consulate. They also called for a boycott of Chinese goods. Angry protesters also stormed the Thai consulate in Istanbul.
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