Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan: Turkish Businesspeople and Investors Are Increasing Their Investments in ASEAN Countries
Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan: Turkish Businesspeople and Investors Are Increasing Their Investments in ASEAN Countries
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan emphasized that they are working intensively to reach the goal of a $10 billion mutual trade volume between Turkey and Malaysia and underlined that Turkish businesspeople and investors are increasing their investments in ASEAN countries.
Minister Fidan, who is in Malaysia’s capital Kuala Lumpur for the Seventh Trilateral Meeting of the ASEAN-Turkey Sectoral Dialogue Partnership, answered questions from Bernama TV and shared his evaluations.
Fidan emphasized that historically, relations between Malaysia and Turkey are extremely strong and robust, and stated that there are unbreakable ties between the two nations.
Hakan Fidan expressed that it is their duty to utilize these strong bonds and to enhance cooperation in all areas.
Emphasizing the importance of diplomacy between leaders, Minister Fidan noted that the leaders of the two countries have very close relations, and therefore, their bonds are also strong.
Fidan stated that the close relationship between the leaders provides a foundation for foreign ministers to continue their agenda.
Fidan underlined that there are many things that can be done to improve Turkey-Malaysia cooperation and said that there are many areas in which they can act together, including technology, trade, the defense industry, and education.
“Our nearest target is 10 billion dollars”
Foreign Minister Fidan said that the trade volume between the two countries is at a level that does not reflect their friendship, stating, “We have just passed 5 billion US dollars, and our closest target is actually 10 billion US dollars. This is an area we are working on very intensively.”
Fidan emphasized that ASEAN is an extremely important platform for them, stating, “ASEAN is a highly significant geography for us. Malaysia is also a very important country as an ASEAN member… It is very important that we work together and develop our relations within this framework.”
When asked whether there is a specific timeline for the 10 billion dollar target, Fidan said, “If you know President (Recep Tayyip) Erdoğan, there is only one timeline, and that is yesterday. Not even today. According to President Erdoğan, we should have already reached that 10 billion dollars yesterday. This shows us how urgent the situation is and highlights how suitable the environment is for us to develop this and increase trade.”
Minister Fidan stated that investors and businesspeople in both countries need to increase their awareness and said that Malaysia has a competitive advantage in trade and investment, especially in the fields of technology and microelectronics, and that they want to benefit from this.
Fidan noted that the Turkish defense industry and its companies want to take advantage of the opportunities here, and expressed that there is a lot that companies from both countries can do in third countries in terms of both traditional and renewable energy sources.
“Turkish businesspeople and investors are increasing their investments in ASEAN countries”
When asked about their plans as an ASEAN Sectoral Dialogue Partner, Fidan stated that they have a large agenda here and that they are present to identify opportunities for both sides.
Minister Fidan said, “Especially Turkish businesspeople and investors, particularly in recent years, are increasing their engagement and investments in ASEAN countries. This is a very important plus for us.”
He noted that the interaction between the peoples of the two countries has increased, with Turkish citizens showing great interest in ASEAN countries, and that people from these countries are also visiting Turkey for tourism and educational purposes.
When asked how they evaluate Turkey’s long-term relationship with ASEAN, Fidan emphasized that they are maintaining this relationship with a positive agenda, which gives them great support.
Highlighting that there are investment opportunities in many different fields such as the defense industry, energy, and technology, Fidan said, “Because Turkey has established a very important and solid foundation in the defense industry. Our region is indeed a troubled one. We have had to defend ourselves. However, this ASEAN region is generally one where more peaceful relations prevail. So perhaps there has not been much need to develop a defense industry here. In this sense, we can complement each other.”
On the question of what Turkey and Malaysia can concretely do regarding humanitarian aid to Gaza and the reconstruction of Gaza, Fidan responded:
“Unfortunately, the ongoing genocide in Gaza is truly a heartbreaking development. Events are unfolding that we will never forget—extremely painful events for all of us. This is a great failure for humanity in general, but especially a major failure for Muslims.”
Fidan stated that Turkey and Malaysia have certain responsibilities regarding Gaza, noting that they are aware that Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has raised his voice concerning the oppressed Palestinians and the occupied Palestinian territories.
Emphasizing that they must act shoulder to shoulder in close cooperation on this issue, Fidan said, “Because if we do not unite in the face of this kind of barbarism, one day it may come for us as well.”
Fidan pointed out that coordinated pressure for the provision of humanitarian aid to Gaza is crucial, stating: “Because 2 million Gaza residents are currently being held captive, and Gaza resembles a concentration camp. It resembles a World War II-era concentration camp. The Palestinian people here are being deliberately starved and subjected to harsh conditions. All of this is happening before our very eyes. We cannot allow this to continue.”
"When you have open and honest dialogue with the Trump administration, there is much you can do together"
Fidan underlined that diplomacy plays a very important role in highlighting certain agendas in relation to Western countries and especially the United States, saying: “In terms of relations with (U.S.) President (Donald) Trump, our experience is this: When you have an open and honest dialogue with the Trump administration, there is much you can do together. That is what our experience as Turkey has shown.”
On the question of how countries like Malaysia or Indonesia can be involved in the process of mediation and finding diplomatic solutions to conflicts, Fidan responded:
“As I mentioned earlier, due to the unique characteristics of our region, there are actually not many options. You either go to war, or mediation occurs. In this sense, mediation is not only in our interest but also a regional responsibility for us as a responsible country in the region.”
Mediation
Fidan added that this is also a key part of President Erdoğan’s foreign policy vision, which is why they try to contribute to mediation efforts in Gaza, between Israel and Iran, and between Russia and Ukraine.
Stating that they have contributed to mediation in different regions as well, Fidan emphasized that mediation is a very important diplomatic tool.
He said he works very intensively on mediation and noted that when mediation fails, military solutions and other areas bear more of the burden. He mentioned they try to implement very complex mediation technologies.
Referring to the problems in Turkey's surrounding region, Fidan said that Syria, Iraq, Iran, and all of these countries have problems both domestically and internationally, and that a very complex set of problems exists in the region, all of which affect Turkey.
“Therefore, you first need to identify, examine, and apply specific diplomatic methodologies to every type of problem. So you need to begin implementing this strategy, and the goal here is this: to first find diplomatic solutions to all existing problems... And in order to do this, you need to be transparent. You must have empathy for the other side. And our President always says this: Every solution must be a win-win solution. You cannot always think only of yourself. When conducting diplomacy, you must also focus on the interests of the other side. Otherwise, this cannot be a real solution or real diplomacy.”
"Every international system is designed by the victors"
Fidan emphasized that the global system is experiencing existential problems, saying that when a problem arises in any part of the world, it inevitably negatively affects everyone within the international system.
He recalled that the current international system was designed right after World War II, noting that there were 55 nation-states at that time, whereas today there are 193 member states registered with the United Nations (UN).
Fidan continued:“If your intention is to establish dominance over the international system and create an environment only for yourself, that is a different agenda. But if your intention and policy is to ensure that the international system treats everyone equally and fairly, to create a system where no one is left behind, then the system can also support others. Unfortunately, when we look at every international system throughout history, we see that these structures have been designed by the victorious powers. Naturally, then, these systems serve the interests of the victors. However, every time we see this, we also see that such systems have a limited shelf life.”
Fidan stated that as Turkey, they are seeking an answer to the question: “How can we transform the system into one not only based on the winners' perspective but also where no one is left behind and everyone is included?” He emphasized that this forms the foundation of Turkey’s foreign policy mission.
Noting that within the current system no one wants to give up their competitive advantage, Fidan said: “Be it the veto power or being a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, these are seen as inherent rights, and no one wants to give them up. But these rights act against the interests of the rest of the international community. To be honest, my fear is this: If we do not learn from history, we may unfortunately have to endure a great conflict just to build a new international system. But as humanity, we must have learned from history. We must not repeat this mistake.”
Fidan concluded by stating that although Turkey and Malaysia are located in different parts of the world, they share the same values, and whenever their leaders, societies, and peoples find an opportunity, they immediately stand side by side.