Turkish VP Sees US-China Tensions as an Economic Opportunity

Hopes US-China split will make more trade possible

The invasion of northeastern Syria has greatly strained US ties with Turkey, but Vice President Fuat Oktay says he sees an “opportunity” for Turkey to revive ties, especially economically, because of growing US-China tensions.

Oktay saw the growing divide with China as a good chance for Turkey, whose own manufacturing industry was relatively unharmed by the coronavirus, to start competing on some more economic ties with the United States. The Trump Administration’s interest in not trading too much with China might well give Turkey this opportunity.

US relations with Turkey aren’t great either, however, since Turkey attacked Kurdish SDF forces in northeastern Syria, derailing US operations in the country. Though the Trump Administration has tried to spin Syria as just being about taking oil now, there is still a lot of annoyance about what happened with the Syrian Kurds.

Backing the US over China is an easy decision for Turkey, much more so than some of Turkey’s other policies. This could indeed be an opportunity for Turkey.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.