Conference to strengthen Turkey, Asia relations held

By Gokhan Ergocun

ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkey is becoming stronger economically serving as a role model for the region, leading businessman Jemal Inaishvili said on Friday.

Speaking at a news conference, the head of Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CACCI), said Turkey has great potential for Asian investors.

Drawing Asian attention to Turkey is a key goal of the 32nd CACCI conference which opened in Istanbul on Friday.

Also speaking, Rifat Hisarciklioglu, head of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB), said Turkey accepts CACCI as a strategic partner.

"Asia-Pacific region represents 40 percent of the world population, 30 percent of the world trade and 23 percent of the world economy," he noted.

Hisarciklioglu stressed that this region's trade volume was $5.2 trillion, while Turkey's exports to this region were just over $10 billion.

The countries of this region make $470 billion of investments annually, but Turkey attracted only $1 billion investments from this region last year, he added.

Turkey needs to broaden its horizon and widen its axis, he highlighted.

TOBB and CACCI will collaborate in five fields, he said. They include women and youth entrepreneurship, tourism and health, and ease trade.

Samir Modi, senior vice president of the CACCI, said Turkey and Asia-Pacific region will get closer in the coming years.

The two-day CACCI conference, held under the auspices of Turkish Presidency, focuses on stronger investments through innovation, digitalization and integration.