Turkey’s Erdogan, China’s Xi discuss Uighurs in phone call

July 14, 2021: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has told his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping that it is important for Turkey to allow Uighur Muslims to live in peace as “equal citizens of China”, but added that Turkey respects China’s sovereignty.

According to a statement from the Turkish presidency, Erdogan made the remarks during a telephone conversation with Xi on Tuesday, during which the two leaders discussed bilateral and regional issues.

UN experts and rights groups estimate that a large system of camps in China’s western Xinjiang region has detained more than a million people from Turkish-speaking Uighurs and other Muslim minorities in recent years. China initially denied the existence of the camps, but has since said they are professional centers designed to combat “extremism.” It denies all allegations of abuse. Erdogan noted that it was important for Turkey that the Uighur Turks live in prosperity and peace as equal citizens of China.

Erdogan told Xi that Turkey and China have a great potential for trade and diplomatic relations, and according to the statement, the two leaders discussed other areas, including energy, trade, transportation and health. He also said he wanted to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Turkey and China, as the two countries would be able to “deepen friendship”, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported.

Some of Turkey’s 40,000 Uighurs have criticized Ankara’s approach to China since the two countries agreed on an extradition agreement last year. Turkey’s foreign minister said in March that the agreement was similar to what Turkey had done with other states and denied that the Uighurs would be sent back to China as a result.

During Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to Ankara in March, hundreds of Uighurs protested against the treatment of their ethnic relatives in China. A report released by Human Rights Watch in April said that China was committing crimes against humanity in its treatment of Uighurs and other Turkish Muslims in Xinjiang. The report documents a “threshold abuse” that includes enforced disappearances, collective surveillance, family separation, forced return to China, forced labor, sexual violence and violations of reproductive rights.

Some Turkish opposition leaders have accused the Turkish government of ignoring Uighur rights in favor of other interests with China, which the government denies.

In April, Turkey summoned China’s ambassador after its embassy said it had the right to respond to Turkish opposition leaders who criticized China’s treatment of Uighurs.

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