China, Turkey more closely linked by rail

He said further use of the railway connection between Turkey and China will accelerate economic activities across Eurasia and this in turn will be beneficial for the two sides' bilateral economic relations.

"Turkish and Chinese products will be more easily delivered via the freight trains," Onen said. "Highly qualified Turkish brands and products, which are well sought-after in many parts of the world, will become more available in the vast Chinese market. Particularly, they will be integrated into e-commerce platforms in China. We therefore encourage Turkish and Chinese businesspeople to make better use of Turkey-China freight trains, which opened up as a new commercial gateway between the two countries."

Turkey, thanks to its unique geographical location, historically played a significant role in connecting Europe and Asia. This is manifested by the well-known Silk Road, and other cross-regional trade routes such as the Spice Road. Turkey's strategic position at the intersection of Europe, Asia and the Middle East still paves the way for its role as the regional transportation hub, which has gained noticeable momentum in recent years.

Onen said massive infrastructure projects in Turkey, including high-speed railways, have greatly contributed to achieving Eurasian connectivity.

For instance, Turkey is constructing the Edirne-Kars High Speed Network, which will enable faster and cheaper transport between China, and Central Asia and Europe.

"There is now a special focus on transforming high-speed railways in the country, with the goal of constructing an additional 5,500 km of high-speed railway and rapid lines by 2023. With the aim of taking advantage of the railways in carrying goods and products as well, various logistics centers are being constructed across the country," Onen said.

Turkey has been one of the earliest supporters of the BRI. In 2015, Turkey and China signed a memorandum of understanding on aligning the Belt and Road Initiative and the Middle Corridor Initiative.

According to Onen, the two nations have similar outlooks for deepening regional economic cooperation on the vast Eurasian landmass via transport corridors, and relevant Turkish and Chinese authorities are planning a high-level meeting soon on this topic.

"The rapid global transformation is marked by the rise of the Asian continent and the connectivity projects. The deepening Turkish-Chinese cooperation in transportation and logistics sectors will surely result in more prosperity and stability across Eurasia," he added. "The recent initiation of direct freight trains between Turkey and China was one of the most successful examples of this cooperation. Broader opportunities of collaboration lie in front of us as long as we continue to galvanize our joint efforts," he added.