Since the establishment of the Belt and Road Initiative, the influence of China as a geopolitical and geo-economical actor has increased. Scholarly and popular attention has been devoted to...Show moreSince the establishment of the Belt and Road Initiative, the influence of China as a geopolitical and geo-economical actor has increased. Scholarly and popular attention has been devoted to countries in the Middle East, which are often perceived as abandoning their former Western allies while pivoting to the East. This thesis seeks to examine the veracity of these claims and explore whether there has been an intensification of Sino-Turkish relations alongside the emergence of the New Silk Road. Toward this end, this paper analyzes the economic relations between Turkey and China by focusing on the trade and investment ties between the countries over time. Doing so will reveal any possible changes caused by the emergence of the New Silk Road and the extent to which trade and investment shifts support the claims of Turkey turning East.Show less
