Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) and Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s use of the term “terrorism” in reference to Uighurs — an ethnic Turkic minority in western China — while in Beijing where he pledged to cooperate with the Chinese government to combat terrorism, including activities by the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), have drawn fierce criticism from the Turkish public as well as opposition lawmakers.
Erdoğan, according to a news report which appeared in the official Chinese news agency Xinhua, stressed that “the Turkish government sticks to the one-China policy, supports China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and opposes the terrorist activities of the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) aimed at China.”
“The Turkish government firmly supports China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, opposes terrorist activities — such as those of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement — that target China and will protect the relationship from being “distracted,” Erdoğan said,” reported the China daily in another story covering the Turkish president’s visit.
For a leader who only years ago accused China of carrying out a “genocide” against Uighurs –Turkic people with whom Turks share cultural and religious bonds — this turnaround has seemed striking and unleashed a barrage of criticism in Turkey.
Source: ZAMAN