China reform forum delegation visits Istanbul

ISTANBUL

AFP photo

The People’s Republic of China Reform Forum delegation, under the presidency of Lin Jingtian, visited the Marmara Group Foundation in Istanbul with representatives including academics and other guests, the foundation said in a written statement on Sept. 2. 

During the visit, held as part of the ongoing Silk Road projects, Jingtian invited the Marmara Group Foundation to Beijing to carry out common projects and hold common meetings, according to the statement. 

Foundation head Dr. Akkan Suver emphasized that Turkey attaches importance to work regarding the Land and Maritime Silk Road that China has embarked upon.

Suver also touched on developments in the field of tourism, pointing to his group’s request from the China Reform Forum to expand the existing Turkish Airlines flights between Turkey and China.

“We live in an era full of hopes and challenges. We need to combine our forces for a new vision of peaceful common ground,” he said. 

“We should transform conflicts to cooperation, confrontation to solidarity. In Asia, in the Balkans, in the Caucasus, and in in the Middle East, we must act together to establish a fair and lasting peace. The Silk Road should be an area of people who have different beliefs, languages, races, religions, and nationalities living and working together. I believe that our meeting will be a significant milestone toward this divine purpose,” Suver added. 

On behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, representative Ambassador Hakan Kıvanç focused on the visa issue, emphasizing that Turkey operates an “e-visa” system for visitors from China.