01:13China: Erdogan receives full military honours on Beijing visit
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was welcomed with military honours by his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Wednesday.
Today is the start of Erdogan's three day official visit to the country, where he is expected to hold talks with Xi Jinping in an effort to further economic and commercial cooperation between the two countries with several bilateral agreements expected to be signed.
Both leaders have vowed to strengthen strategic cooperation in defence initiatives, with a focus on fighting ‘terrorism’ and people smuggling. Also on the agenda is a discussion on the purchase of components for a Turkish anti-ballistic missile shield from the Chinese defence department.
The visit comes amid Turkey’s increased military offensive against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in Syria and Iraq. Relations between the PKK and the Turkish government have broken down after the Turkish airforce began shelling camps belonging to the PKK in northern Iraq last week. The camps were hit within the framework of the Turkish state's operation against 'terrorist organisations' after the bomb attack in Suruc on July 20. The operation has resulted in the arrest of alleged members of Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) as well as members of the PKK and the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP/C).
01:13Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was welcomed with military honours by his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Wednesday.
Today is the start of Erdogan's three day official visit to the country, where he is expected to hold talks with Xi Jinping in an effort to further economic and commercial cooperation between the two countries with several bilateral agreements expected to be signed.
Both leaders have vowed to strengthen strategic cooperation in defence initiatives, with a focus on fighting ‘terrorism’ and people smuggling. Also on the agenda is a discussion on the purchase of components for a Turkish anti-ballistic missile shield from the Chinese defence department.
The visit comes amid Turkey’s increased military offensive against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in Syria and Iraq. Relations between the PKK and the Turkish government have broken down after the Turkish airforce began shelling camps belonging to the PKK in northern Iraq last week. The camps were hit within the framework of the Turkish state's operation against 'terrorist organisations' after the bomb attack in Suruc on July 20. The operation has resulted in the arrest of alleged members of Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) as well as members of the PKK and the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP/C).