Turkiye in China's Eyes: What Do Chinese Newspaper Reports Reveal About China's Strategic Interest in Turkiye?

BEDEL B.

JOURNAL OF BALKAN AND NEAR EASTERN STUDIES, 2025 (SSCI, Scopus) identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Basım Tarihi: 2025
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1080/19448953.2025.2581959
  • Dergi Adı: JOURNAL OF BALKAN AND NEAR EASTERN STUDIES
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, IBZ Online, Historical Abstracts, Humanities Abstracts, Index Islamicus, Political Science Complete
  • Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

This article examines Chinese newspaper reports about Turkiye from China's foreign policy perspectives and shows in which context Turkiye has been strategically significant for China. Newspaper reports were categorized into themes, and it revealed that there has been a significant interest in Turkiye's role in regional stability, security, and its relationship with Western nations. As portrayed in the news, Turkiye's foreign policy, which maintains flexible 'two-way diplomacy', aligns with China's interests in fostering alternative global alliances, suggesting a strategic interest in maintaining and strengthening diplomatic ties. By analysing the themes in the news coverage, the article aims to offer policymakers and analysts insights into the priorities and concerns of Chinese foreign policy regarding Turkiye.