Turkish Exporters Set Sail for China
Foreks - Turkish exporters are embarking on a mission to capture a larger share of China's $2.6 trillion imports and to reduce the trade deficit, which has reached $41.6 billion, between China and Turkey.
At the "CIIE - China International Import Expo 2024," the world's largest import fair and China's most prestigious exhibition, 15 companies from Turkey's food sector will participate organized by the Aegean Exporters' Associations (EİB).
Jak Eskinazi, Coordinator Chairman of the Aegean Exporters' Associations, stated that they are organizing national participation in 13 international fairs in 2024, with CIIE being the last organization of the year.
Eskinazi highlighted that the China International Import Expo is a significant event planned, proposed, and promoted by Chinese President Xi Jinping. He noted, “Even though China's annual exports reach $3.38 trillion, its annual imports stand around $2.56 trillion. In other words, China is making massive imports. For Turkish exporters, if importing from China isn't far, exporting there isn’t either. We are working to close the $41.6 billion trade deficit we have with China, and we see the China Import Fair as an important opportunity for closing our trade gap. Developing mutual political and economic relations with China is also among our government's priorities. Our Minister of Treasury and Finance, Mehmet Şimşek, will visit China from November 6 to 8, 2024. We aim to reflect the positive atmosphere in political relations in our export figures,” he said.
Ertan: “We also want to organize national participation in the China-Eurasia Expo” Yalçın Ertan, Deputy Coordinator Chairman of the Aegean Exporters' Associations and Chairman of the Aegean Iron and Non-Ferrous Metals Exporters' Association, noted that efforts towards the Chinese market have gained momentum since the end of 2018. He emphasized that China should be viewed as a continent, not just a country, due to its vast area and population of 1.5 billion.
Reminding that they will participate in the "8th China-Eurasia Expo" jointly organized by the Ministry of Commerce of China, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), and the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Government from June 26 to 30, 2024, under the Ministry of Commerce’s assignment, Ertan added, “We want to participate more robustly in the fair in 2025 with a national promotion organization that presents new opportunities of the Silk Road and mobilizes new dynamics of Eurasia. The Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region plays a very important role within the Belt and Road Initiative. It is strategically located connecting China with Central Asia and Europe. Important infrastructure projects like railways, highways, and airports have been realized and are still ongoing in the region. Notably, the China-Europe railway lines pass through Xinjiang. Urumqi is positioned as an important logistics hub along the middle corridor line that runs from China to Central Asia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey, and holds significant importance in China-Europe trade. The region is a transition point for oil and natural gas pipelines extending from Central Asia to China. Thanks to the Belt and Road Initiative projects, three free zones have been established in the region, economic activity has increased, and employment opportunities have expanded. The excitement about these developments can be observed across all sectors. I believe it is essential for us Turkish exporters and investors to show an interest in this region already, as there will be a rapid development process in the next 10 years. Urumqi, the city farthest from the sea in the world, despite its distance from the sea, has historically and currently been an important trade center due to its position on the Silk Road. The Chinese government attaches special importance to the development of the region, seeing it as a gateway to the west,” he stated.
Işık: “China offers significant opportunities for food exports” Mehmet Ali Işık, Coordinator of Sustainability and Organic Products at Aegean Exporters' Associations and President of the Aegean Dried Fruits and Products Exporters' Association, expressed a desire to focus on marketing activities towards China as part of the Ministry of Commerce's strategy for distant countries. He noted that China presents substantial opportunities for food exporters.
Işık mentioned that among the 15 firms participating in the CIIE - China International Import Expo 2024 under the national participation organization of Turkey, 13 are from the food sector. He stated, “In the January-September period of 2024, our food exports to China increased from $163 million to $171 million. Dried fruits, olive oil, wine, grains, legumes, oilseeds, seafood, nuts, fruits, vegetable products, and stone fruit products are areas where we can establish a market presence in China. If our Minister of Agriculture and Forestry's negotiations for Plant Health Certificate agreements yield positive results, our food exports to China could reach $1 billion in the medium term.”
Alimoğlu: “55% of exports to China come from our mining sector” İbrahim Alimoğlu, President of the Aegean Mining Exporters' Association, stated that 55% of Turkey's exports to China come from the mining sector, and shared that their exports to China increased by 10.4% from $1.141 billion to $1.259 billion in the first nine months of 2024.
Recalling that they have been organizing national participation at the Xiamen Natural Stone and Technologies Fair for 12 years, Alimoğlu stated, “Economists predict that while China may not regain its past growth figures, it will continue to grow. We invite our Turkish exporters to focus on the Chinese market. China is a major importing country. The mining sector has shown that success can be achieved in this market.”
In 2023, the CIIE Expo, which took place in a total exhibition area of 360,000 m2, hosted 3,400 companies and more than 394,000 professional visitors from 128 countries, with participants from 154 countries and pavilions from 72 countries.
The Board Presidents of Ege Exporters' Associations, who will travel to China for the China International Import Expo, will be engaged in intensive discussions throughout the fair. On November 6, 2024, they will meet with Nanjing municipal officials at the Turkish stand, and on November 7, 2024, they will participate in a panel hosted by the China Customs Brokers Association on “Facilitating the Trade of High-Quality Agricultural Products.” On November 8, 2024, they will hold talks with Shanghai CCPIT in the morning and conduct a tasting event with participation from Chinese importers/distributors in the Turkish Commercial Consultancy Office in Shanghai in the afternoon. On November 9, 2024, they will visit the “Belt and Road Trade Center” in Suzhou, and on November 10, 2024, they will attend the November 10 Atatürk Commemoration program organized by the Turkish Consulate in Shanghai.
The following companies are participating in the China International Import Expo from Turkey: “Aydın Kuruyemiş Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş., Başhan Agro Gıda San ve Tic. A.Ş., CLK İpekyolu Lojistik ve Ticaret A.Ş., Hasan Türek Çiftliği Hayvancılık ve Tarım İç ve Dış Tic. A.Ş., Işık Tarım Ürünleri ve Sanayi Ticaret A.Ş., Kırdağ Tarım Ür. Ve İnş. Malz. San. ve Tic. Ltd. Şti., K.F.C. Gıda Tekstil Sanayi İthalat ve İhracat Yatırım A.Ş., Kavaklıdere Şarapları A.Ş., Lidya Nuts Gıda Anonim Şirketi, Noor Asia Turkey Gıda San. A.Ş., TYC İnşaat Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş., Yaşar Dondurma ve Gıda Maddeleri A.Ş., Yörükoğlu Süt ve Ürünleri San. Tic. A.Ş., Akkon Denizcilik Nakl. ve Tic. A.Ş. ve Yarım İç ve Dış Ticaret A.Ş.”