Turkey declares ETIM a terror group
China appreciates Turkey’s decision to put the East Turkestan Islamic Movement on its list of terrorist organizations, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday.
“Both sides agree that deepening anti-terrorism cooperation and safeguarding common security are in line with the fundamental interests of China and Turkey,” Wang said at a news conference after meeting with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu in Beijing.
Cavusoglu, who began a two-day visit to China on Wednesday, met with Wang a second time on Thursday.
“China firmly supports Turkey’s efforts to safeguard national sovereignty, security and stability,” Wang said. “Turkey has put the ETIM on its list of terrorist organizations, and China appreciates its decision.”
The ETIM was listed as a terrorist organization by the United Nations Security Council in 2002 and was responsible for a number of terrorist attacks in China.
During their meetings, the two ministers also agreed to further align the Belt and Road Initiative and Turkey’s Middle Corridor plan, advance cooperation on major strategic projects, and promote more achievements in the economy, tourism and education.
“China and Turkey are both important emerging market economies, and the two countries’ cooperation has a good foundation and can be complementary,” Wang said.
Cavusoglu said his country highly values the relationship with China and will steadfastly follow the one-China policy.
“Turkey regards China’s security as its own and will never allow any activity that harms China’s sovereignty and security to happen within its borders,” he said.
In another development, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson reiterated on Tuesday that Washington had sought to persuade Pyongyang to give up its missile and nuclear weapons programs through peaceful pressure.
When asked about those comments during the joint news conference, Wang said China attached importance to Tillerson’s remarks about the Korean Peninsula and hoped that the US can implement them successfully.
Wang said he hoped all parties can meet halfway and quickly find a solution that addresses each other’s security concerns.
“This is the most crucial key to open the sticking point of the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue and realize denuclearization there,” he said.
Ruan Zongze, executive vice-president of the China Institute of International Studies, said the ETIM has been active for a long time in Turkey and other countries in the Middle East.
“The clear position of Turkey this time will help greatly push forward the China-Turkey relationship,” he said.
The two countries’ cooperation has a good foundation and can be complementary.” Wang Yi, foreign minister
Zhou Jin contributed to the story.