Chinese minister says "respects" Turkish ties with Uighurs

Erdogan, who received Chinese Minister of Commerce Chen Deming, said around 100 Chinese businessmen would attend a meeting to be held in Istanbul on Friday.

Erdogan said Turkey and China were the inheritors of two civilizations rooted in history.

Expressing great sorrow over the incidents in Uighur Region, Erdogan said he considered Uighurs as a "bridge of friendship" between Turkey and China.

Clashes over the summer between Han Chinese and Muslim Uighur residents in Urumqi, East Turkistan's capital, left 197 people dead, according to Chinese government figures. However, Uighur exile groups said up to 800 people died, many of them Uighurs shot or beaten to death by police.

Chen thanked to Erdogan over his contributions to improvement of relations between Turkey and China since 2003.

Chinese minister said they "respected Turkey's ties with Uighurs", noting they also considered Uighurs as a "friendship bridge".

Earlier in the day, Chen held talks with Turkish State Minister for foreign trade Zafer Caglayan and Transportation Minister Binali Yildirim.

/World Bulletin/