Türkiye, China hold 1st business conference to discuss digital cooperation

ISTANBUL -- The first Türkiye-China Business Conference was held on Tuesday in the largest Turkish city Istanbul, with the participation of more than 100 Turkish and Chinese business people.

The one-day conference, organized by the Foreign Economic Relations Board of Türkiye (DEIK) and the Turkish Industry and Business Association (TUSIAD), was held under the theme of "Digital Transformation and Designing the Future."

It included several panels on bilateral digital cooperation, where executives of Turkish and Chinese companies shared their success stories in doing business.

At the opening of the conference, DEIK President Nail Olpak hailed China's achievements from e-commerce to artificial intelligence and digital economy, saying Türkiye should focus on creating added value out of these points.

Cagatay Ozdogru, a TUSIAD board member, said advanced technologies have radically changed the rules of global competition in a period of political and economic uncertainties, adding that Türkiye's young and dynamic population provides ample opportunities for China.

For his part, Vice Chairman of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Zhang Shaogang named artificial intelligence, smart cities, green technology and digital technology as the potential fields which China and Türkiye should enhance cooperation, stressing that China is ready to take bilateral relations to the higher level on a win-win basis.

The second Türkiye-China Business Conference will be held in China next year "to further promote the economic and trade cooperation between China and Türkiye," Zhang said.

He also invited Turkish companies to attend the first China International Supply Chain Expo that will be held in Beijing in November.

A memorandum of understanding was signed by the DEIK, TUSIAD and CCPIT to underscore their support for holding the CISCE.