London: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has arrived in Beijing today to reportedly discussion ways to reduce tensions arising out China`s treatment of its Uighur minority, which has close cultural and religious links with Turks.
Erdogan, who is meeting his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, will focus on expansion of economic ties by negotiating the controversial plan ofbuying a Chinese long-range missile system.
About 100 Turkish business leaders and investors are accompanying Erdogan on the visit which ends on Thursday.
According to the BBC, the visit is a reflection of the growing importance of a trade relationship now worth about 24 billion dollarsa year.
The state visit comes a few weeks after protests in Istanbul and Ankara over what are perceived as high-handed restrictions by Beijingon its Uighur population.
