Turkish president to visit China

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will visit China on July 2 at the invitation of President Xi Jinping, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said.

Erdogan said that during his visit to Beijing, he will discuss with President Xi bilateral relations and also regional and international issues.

The Turkish leader emphasized on the importance of bilateral relations within the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) framework, state-run Anadolu agency reported.

"The BRI is not only an economic initiative, it continues to be an important opportunity for nations of the geography that it encompasses to come together," said Erdogan, adding that China is one of the main foreign trade partners of Turkey.