Erdogan of Turkey, Xi of China discusses Uighurs by phone | Welcome to Tayyip Erdogan News

Erdogan says the Uighurs should be at peace as ‘equal citizens of China’, adding that Turkey respects China’s sovereignty.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has told Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping it is important for Turkey to make Uighur Muslims live peacefully as “equal citizens of China” but said Turkey respects Chinese rule.

Erdogan made the remarks during a phone call with Xi on Tuesday during which the two leaders discussed the plight of the two countries, according to a statement from the Turkish President.

UN experts and human rights groups say more than a million people, mostly from Uighurs who speak the language and minority Muslims, have been detained in recent years in China’s main prisons west of Xinjiang.

China initially denied that the camps existed, but also said that it was a training ground and was designed to deal with “extremism”. It denies all allegations of abuse.

“Erdogan said it was important for Turkey to make the people of Uighur Turkey prosperous and peaceful as equal citizens of China. He also said that Turkey respects China’s sovereignty and loyalty,” the Turkish president said.

Erdogan told Xi that there was great potential for trade relations between Turkey and China and that the two leaders discussed areas including energy, trade, transport and health, according to the statement.

He also said he wanted to mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral relations between Turkey and China, “Anadolu state media reported.

Some of the 40,000 Uighurs living in Turkey have criticized Ankara’s actions in China after the two countries reached an agreement to reinstate them last year. Turkey’s foreign ministry said in March the deal was similar to Turkey’s deal with other countries and denied that this would help bring Uighurs back to China.

Hundreds a The Uighurs protested in opposition to their Chinese counterparts during the visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Yi Yi to Ankara in March.

A report released by Human Rights Watch in April said China is committing crimes against humanity in dealing with the Uighurs and other Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang.

The report cites “several forms of violence” which include forced labor, mass surveillance, family separation, repatriation to China, forced labor, sexual violence and violations of reproductive rights.

Some opposition leaders in Turkey have accused the Turkish government of violating the Uighur rights by seeking to do business with China, which the government denies.

In April, Turkey summoned the Chinese ambassador after his ambassador said he had the right to respond to Turkish party leaders who criticized China’s treatment of the Uighurs.