Turkish businesses expand strategic links with China

ISTANBUL — Turkish companies are increasingly leveraging China's manufacturing and logistics networks to support exports to third countries and strengthen their role in global digital trade, industry representatives say.

Salih Unal, general manager of Sada Home Appliances, a Chinese subsidiary of Turkish manufacturer Kumtel, said on Tuesday that the company's decades-long business ties with China have grown into a more direct presence, including the establishment of two dedicated warehouses in the country.

"We are dispatching our branded products directly from these facilities in China to customers outside of Turkiye," Unal told Xinhua News Agency at a promotion conference in Istanbul for the upcoming 140th China Import and Export Fair, also known as Canton Fair.

He said maintaining a physical presence in China is crucial, as the country's vast manufacturing ecosystem shapes industry trends and global markets, while Chinese partners have helped ensure smooth supply chain operations without disruptions.

The push to integrate with China's trade ecosystem extends beyond manufacturing to digital trade networks.

Erkan Yanlar, founder of e-commerce solutions platform Majoriso, said, "To exist in global e-commerce, making China our strategic partner is an absolute must; otherwise, we fall severely behind."

Invited to attend the Canton Fair to source direct suppliers for his company's B2B and B2C operations, Yanlar said he plans to tap into Chinese supply networks to turn Turkiye into a regional e-commerce hub.

Xu Jiansheng, operations director of China Foreign Trade Center Group, said the 140th Canton Fair, set to open in Guangzhou in October, has evolved beyond a traditional trade exhibition into a "highly efficient industrial incubator".

"For Turkish companies, the fair is not only a place to build stable supply chains, but also a platform to explore joint manufacturing and collaborative research and development," Xu said, adding the event serves as a catalyst for deep industrial collaboration.

XINHUA