Turkish Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, is slated to visit Urumqi and Kashgar in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region during his trip to China, concluding on Wednesday, reports Turkish broadcaster TRT.
The Uyghur issue has been a significant factor influencing China-Turkey relations in recent decades.
Last year, Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, met with President Tayyip Erdogan during his inaugural foreign trip, discussing the rights of Uyghur Muslims in China.
Since the 1950s, Turkey has been a preferred destination for Uyghurs fleeing persecution in China, with approximately 50,000 residing in Turkey—comprising the largest Uyghur diaspora outside China.
Fidan’s agenda will also include discussions on bilateral trade ties, given Turkey’s involvement in China’s economic ‘Belt and Road Initiative’.
Negotiations on Ankara’s accession bid, initiated in 2005, have faced prolonged stalemates over various issues, including human rights and foreign policy, with several European capitals.