China and Turkey: In pursuit of a “Strategic Partnership”

Turkey and China are celebrating their 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties this year. For now, however, there is not too much to celebrate, but each side is hoping for bigger and better things in the near to medium term. “China’s rise in the global order, with its fast-developing economy, is grabbing the attention of Turkish policymakers,” Sinem Cengiz, a Turkish political analyst, said in Arab News in March. “Although ties between Turkey and China experience occasional ebbs and flows, in recent years their relationship has entered a period of growth based on mutual benefits. There has been increasing trade and accelerated intergovernmental…