Turkish PM makes first trip to China in 27 years

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has arrived in China for a four-day visit to strengthen business and political ties between the rising powers with booming economies. The visit comes despite differences over Syria and China's ethnic Uighur region.

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs says Erdogan arrived in Urumqi in the far western region of Xinjiang on Sunday and travels to Beijing on Monday. It is the first visit by a Turkish premier to China in 27 years.

It follows a February visit by Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping to Turkey, when the countries signed deals worth billions of dollars.

Xinjiang is home to China's Uighurs, who are ethnically related to Turks. Ethnic tensions have led to violence in the region in recent years.

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