Turkey can help integrate Muslim Asia into China's Silk Road project

If the 20th century was about the integration of China into the global economy; the integration of Asia and Central Asia particularly, including Afghanistan and Pakistan, into the global economy is the major project for the 21st century, according to Güven Sak, the head of the Economic Policy Research Foundation of Turkey (TEPAV).  As the Silk Road is about connecting China to Europe via land routes, Turkey could play a role there in integrating the Muslim geography into the global economy, Sak told Hürriyet Daily News.

How do you think we should evaluate Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's recent visit to China participating in the Silk Road summit?

China-Turkey relations in the political front have started with the wrong root due to Chinese complaints about ethnic Uyghurs. But now, we are trying to change that into something more positive. In 2015, after Erdoğan visited China, he noted that the problems in Xinjiang were a domestic issue for China. The Chinese were also concerned about the Uyghurs going to participate in the war in Syria, and later returning to China. But Turkey is now trying to change this negative setting into a positive one, by collaborating in the One Road, One Belt initiative.

Can you elaborate?

The One Road, One Belt project is an idea that was first declared by President Xi in 2013. It is about the integration of Asia into the global economy. The Chinese are trying to create a land route between China and Europe, and this is setting two types of issues.

There are hardware issues related to international trade. Both China and Turkey are countries in which international trade is very important. 

The major hardware issue in creating connectivity between...