Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivering his public lecture at Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC) on Monday. — IZZRAFIQ ALIAS/The Star
PUTRJAYA: Turkiye aims to increase its trade with Malaysia to US$10bil a year, says President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Erdogan said Turkiye also aims to develop its relations with Malaysia based on a vision of technological cooperation and joint production.
“In terms of trade volume, we exceeded US$5bil in 2024 in line with the targets we set.
“We aim to increase our trade up to US$10bil in a balanced way.
“From semiconductor technologies to automotive, from aircraft technologies to civil simulators, we wish to enhance our joint efforts in each and every sector and to move forward together in various fields with Malaysia,” he said during a public lecture at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC) here on Monday (Feb 10).
Erdogan said both Turkiye and Malaysia had the unique feature of being gateways to Asia and Europe.
“In this respect, we wish to further strengthen our aviation bridge.
“Our second largest airport is also operated by the Airports Authority of Malaysia,” he said.
The Turkiye President described Malaysia as one of the leading countries in the region, noting a population of almost 35 million, a dynamic economy and skilled human resources.
“We have reached the stage of reaping the fruits of this vision,” he said.
Referencing Turkish Aviation Industries/Malaysia, Erdogan said it has developed into a vibrant facility offering work opportunities to more than 100 young Malaysian engineers.
“With the cooperation of our defence industry companies, the building of the second batch of Littoral Mission Ships is now underway,” he said, adding that both countries also had significant cooperation on ANKA unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV).
Earlier on Monday, Erdogan was conferred an Honorary Doctorate in International Relations by Universiti Malaya in recognition of his contributions to global diplomacy and international negotiations.
University Chancellor Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah conferred the honorary degree on Erdogan in a special ceremony at PICC.
Erdogan is on a two-day visit to Malaysia.
The Turkiye President will be welcomed with an official reception at Perdana Putra on Tuesday (Feb 11), followed by a one-on-one meeting with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
