Distinguished Guests, Esteemed
Colleagues, Dear Friends,

-It is a great pleasure to be here today with you.

-I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the
organizers of this event.

-This Conference is especially important for bringing
together writers, scholars and literary enthusiasts from around the world.

-It is through such interactions that we can build a
more harmonious global community.

-I am glad that today Turkish publisher Kırmızı Kedi
and Beijing Lao She Literature Academy will also sign a cooperation agreement.

-Let me emphasize that this is definitely a
significant step for the development of cultural collaboration between Türkiye
and China.

-Through this collaboration, some of most famous
pieces of Turkish literature will be brought to the appreciation of Chinese
readers and vice versa.

-I am sure that rich literary traditions of our two
great nations will foster cultural exchange, mutual understanding and
appreciation between the two countries.

Distinguished Guests,

-Türkiye and China share a long history of
interaction, dating back to the ancient Silk Road.

-Our cultures have been intertwined for centuries through
trade, philosophy, art and literature for centuries.

-It is our responsibility to teach ancient Turkish and
Chinese civilizations and the bonds between them to our next generations.

-This will enable our people to know each other more
closely through history and culture.

-As the Turkish Ambassador in Beijing, I consider
cultural diplomacy as one of the most important pillars of our bilateral
relations.

-Because I always believe that literature is a
powerful tool for connecting hearts and minds across borders.

-I think that mutually strengthened ties between our
people through education will also lead to stronger diplomatic relations and
economic partnerships between our countries.

Distinguished Guests,

-Literature is a universal bridge that connects us
all.

-Our dreams, stories and perspectives are shared
through literature.

-Literature gives insights us for building the
concepts of empathy and understanding.

-In this respect, Türkiye has a rich and diverse
literary heritage.

-From the timeless works of Rumi and Yunus Emre to
contemporary authors, Turkish literature reflects our nation's deep-rooted
history and cultural richness.

-Today, we are proud to see Turkish universities and
research institutions offering comprehensive programs in Chinese studies.

-These programs not only focus on language proficiency
but also the richness of Chinese literature, philosophy and history.

-In fact, the roots of Sinology in Türkiye go back to
the early 20th century.

-Over the decades, academic and cultural exchanges on
Sinology have improved considerably.

-Today, Turkish scholars carry out several researches
in international Sinology circles, attend academic conferences and publish
insightful literary articles.

-The Turkish Government also facilitates scholarships,
exchange programs and joint research initiatives.

-Turkish Ministry of National Education provides
preferential Chinese lessons for the students of secondary education.

-Additionally, Chinese is taught in more than 10 Turkish
universities.

-Moreover, last year in November, H.E. Mr. Wang Gang,
Deputy Director of the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the
Communist Party of China paid a fruitful visit to Türkiye.

-During that visit, H. E. Mr. Nadir Alpaslan, Deputy
Minister of Turkish Culture and Tourism and H.E. Mr. Wang signed a "MoU on
the Translation and Publication of Classical Literature Works”.

-And just few weeks ago, H.E. Mr. Sun Yeli, Chinese
Minister of Culture and Tourism visited Türkiye and had fruitful meetings with
our Minister of Culture and Tourism.

-During the visit, the two Ministers also signed a
Tourism Cooperation Agreement and they exchanged views on celebrating next year
as the Türkiye-China Culture and Tourism Year.

-Another significant step for the improvement of our
cultural relations has been the establishment of Confucius Institutes across
Türkiye.

-Today, there are 4 Confucius Institutes in the most
prominent Turkish universities: Middle
East Technical (ODTÜ) University; Boğaziçi University, Istanbul Yeditepe
University and Istanbul Okan University.

-These institutes immensely contribute to our cultural
exchange by providing language courses and organizing various events.

-Interest in Chinese culture and language in Türkiye
is increasing day by day.

-We have also a cultural center in Beijing. Yunus Emre
Turkish Cultural Center was established in 2021.

-It offers Turkish language courses in Beijing and
organize various cultural events.

-We are glad to see that the Yunus Emre Center has
become the face of Turkish language and culture in China.

-We are very pleased with the great interest of the Chinese
people to Culture Center’s activities.

Distinguished Guests,

-Before concluding my remarks, please let me share
with you my humble suggestions for the improvement of academic cooperation
between Türkiye and China.

-Considering the regional and global weight of our two
countries and as strategic cooperation partners, I firmly believe that we

should enhance our academic dialogue among
think-thanks, research centers and universities.

-First of all, Türkiye and China should establish a
joint university and create funds for common academic research at all levels.

-By establishing cooperation mechanisms, we can enable
the exchange of academics and experts.

-Both parties may benefit from such an exchange
mechanism.

-Istanbul Okan University, Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli
University and Istanbul University have successful academicians experienced in
Chinese studies.

-Among them, Professor Giray Fidan is with us here
today.

-Tomorrow, I will also attend the launch event of his
new book “The Birth of Sinology in Türkiye”.

-With their participation, we may consider organizing
joint seminars or theme-based conferences and workshops in China and Türkiye.

-We could also co-publish journals in both
languages.

-I hope that in the coming days, we will witness more
cooperation in the field of literature, culture and arts.

-Once again, I would like to reiterate my thanks to
everyone who organized this event and to all those who contributed to the
realization of this partnership.

Thank you for your attention.