Dr. Akkan Suver, who is currently in the People's Republic of China, gave a speech at Renmin University in Beijing on the importance of Türkiye-China relations and the Belt and Road Initiative.

Following his speech, Dr. Akkan Suver presented a gift to Renmin University in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Türkiye.

You can find Dr. Akkan Suver's speech below.
 

Speech of Dr. Akkan Suver in Renmin University of China

Ten years ago, the ancient Silk Road, now known as the Belt and Road Initiative, returned to the world stage with President Xi Jinping's speech. Beyond being a trade route and a historical and cultural bridge connecting Asia to Europe and Africa, the Belt and Road Initiative has opened the door to an extraordinary historical and cultural richness, carrying the traces of cultures, religions, and races that inhabit the region.

Especially in the midst of the current events such as the Russia-Ukraine War, Kosovo-Serbia tensions, and the Israel-Palestine conflict, the need for peace becomes evident. This is where the Belt and Road Initiative gains even more significance.

In my perspective, the Belt and Road Initiative is, above all, a peace project.

In broader terms, the "Belt and Road Initiative” is not only significant for regional but also international economics and trade. From a geo-economic perspective, the Silk Road project, with its land and sea components, is poised to bring China closer to European markets and Europe closer to China. Transportation that currently takes 45 days from China to Europe is expected to reduce to 25 days once this project is realized.

The Silk Road Project involves capital convergence, currency integration, and the improvement or restoration of infrastructure networks, particularly railways and ports. It is indeed a project of our era, as it will create a new belt of prosperity from Beijing to London.

A Chinese proverb says, "We are not friends because we do business; we do business because we are friends." I interpret this proverb as a reflection of the Belt and Road Initiative today, which opens a new door to friendship with 152 countries.
Many countries in Asia have made significant investments to integrate into this network. Türkiye, situated at a crucial crossroads, is one of the key players in the Silk Road project and is a founding member of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, established with a capital of 50 billion dollars.

Additionally, Türkiye has implemented the Marmaray project, which connects the Asian continent with Europe. It has opened the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge and realized the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, which will connect Beijing to London.

Furthermore, when the Silk Road is completed, the strategic partnership between China and Türkiye is expected to naturally grow. This may lead to the emergence of Pax Sinica in the region, and the door to peace along the line from Central Asia to Europe may open spontaneously.

Now, the world's motto is "live together, work together." The revival of the Belt and Road Initiative is a testament to this. People everywhere should once again be on the move, prosper, produce goods and ideas, and exchange them with each other. For example, the European Union is an example of this.

Europe, through the European Union, has demonstrated the borderless nature of ideas, goods, services, and people, emphasizing that only in this way can war be prevented and the need for people to approach each other without division. The Belt and Road Initiative, like the European Union project, is the lifeline, the main artery of peaceful coexistence.

Between China and Europe, the Belt and Road Initiative is a bridge. The name of this bridge is Eurasia.

Today, the world is facing a Eurasian reality. We must understand and evaluate the Eurasian continent very well.

The Eurasian reality has taken shape in the last thirty years and, ten years ago, the Belt and Road project created new opportunities. What are these opportunities? Firstly, it is the richness of culture.

The riches of a great civilization, to which we also belong with thousands of years of history, are present in Eurasia.

With the emergence of these riches today, a new opportunity for peace will arise in Eurasia. Countries that are friends with each other, that are related to each other, in addition to their neighboring countries, from China to the United Kingdom, including Russia, will make peaceful coexistence their goal.

In addition to cultural richness, a new trade bridge reaching into the future will be formed.

The goods of the English, French, and Germans will reach Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Georgia, and Azerbaijan's oil, Turkmenistan's gas, Uzbekistan's cotton, and China's silk will extend beyond borders. The richness of languages will knock on the doors of nations.

Ten years ago, with the Belt and Road Initiative reemerging on the world stage, it is now creating mutual trust, joint action, and a strong will in over hundred and fifty countries. This makes it easier to address economic development challenges. Moreover, this project also contributes to enhancing international security.

I believe that the Belt and Road Initiative, whose foundations were laid ten years ago, will be the key to achieving peace,

trade, and prosperity in our world's future.

Thank you for listening.