A view of a port in southern province of Mersin. (AA Photo)
China’s shift toward alternative markets following higher U.S. tariffs is increasing competition for Turkish exporters, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa, Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEİK) President Nail Olpak has said.
Presenting a DEİK report in Istanbul on Sept. 29, Olpak said China was redirecting exports toward Southeast Asia, Africa, the Middle East and the European Union.
The U.S. share of Chinese exports fell from 14.7 percent in 2024 to 11.1 percent in 2025.
China’s shipments to Africa rose 25.9 percent, while those to the Middle East and the EU grew 9.7 percent and 8.6 percent, respectively, the report showed.
China’s exports to the United Arab Emirates reached $72.9 billion in 2025, compared with Türkiye’s $9.28 billion.
Turkish exports to the Gulf country have remained broadly flat since 2023.
In Algeria, Turkish exports fell 14.6 percent to $2.46 billion in 2025, while Chinese shipments rose to $13.91 billion.
Olpak warned that faster links under China’s Belt and Road Initiative could erode Türkiye’s logistics advantage in Europe.
He urged Türkiye to look beyond transit fees and use returning trains to carry its own exports to China.
He also called for greater support for exporters facing financing difficulties and rising costs, but said a weaker lira alone would not solve their problems.
Depreciation could offer a short-term advantage but would also raise domestic prices in a country that imports more than it exports.
Foreign buyers would also demand discounts, he said.
“This does not seem to offer much of a solution even in the medium term,” he said.
