Turkish PM Erdogan in China for talks

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdo?an arrived in China on Saturday for a four-day official visit, the first prime ministerial visit in 27 years. The two countries are expected to sign several agreements, including those on nuclear energy and coal. The nuclear energy agreements are anticipated to be about cooperation in the field of nuclear energy and its use for peaceful purposes. Erdo?an is accompanied by a large delegation of businessmen, ministers, bureaucrats, academics and journalists. During his visit, Erdo?an is scheduled to meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao and Vice President Xi Jinping, who is expected to be the next president. Erdo?an started his visit to China in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and he is the first Turkish prime minister to visit its capital, Urumqi. He is expected to visit the Turkish industrial zone, a particular area devoted by Urumqi to improve trade relations between Turkey and Xinjiang province. While still in the city, Erdo?an will also meet with Nur Bekri, the chairman of the autonomous region. After visiting Xinjiang, Erdo?an will proceed to Beijing, where he will take part in high-level meetings with China's president, premier and vice president. Shanghai, regarded as China's economic capital, will be Erdo?an's last stop in the country, where he is expected to call on Chinese businessmen to invest in Turkey. It is believed that the talks between Erdo?an and his counterparts will include all aspects of bilateral relations, opportunities for cooperation in many areas and the regional and international issues that concern both countries.