But the public seems to have mixed feelings about the possibility of conducting a campaign against Chinese products. Some say a boycott should be launched while others say it would not be a good solution. Speaking with Today's Zaman, Ahmet Demirel, 29, a civil servant, stated: “It is true that it will be hard to boycott Chinese goods, but we must try our best. If a product is imported from China, we should certainly not buy it.”
Sanem Erken, 26, an assistant tax auditor, argued that boycotting Chinese products in response to the situation in Xinjiang is not a solution, adding, “We should consider Turkey's foreign trade and look for diplomatic solutions.” Turkey has gained little, if not lost, from trade with China. Turkey had a trade deficit of about $14 billion with China last year.
Unrest that erupted in eastern China on July 4 after two Uighur workers were killed by Chinese colleagues later turned into ethnic clashes. The incidents were met with force by the paramilitary police, leaving 184 dead, according to official statements, and receiving worldwide criticism. However, Uighurs claim that the death toll was much higher than reported by the government, saying more than 1,000 people from their community were killed by Han Chinese, the majority ethnic group in the country. The tragic incidents aroused a sharp reaction in Turkey on all fronts. While many, NGOs in particular, have proposed a countrywide boycott against Chinese products, people seem confused over how best to carry this out.
Chinese goods have flooded world markets. From electronics to home goods and textiles to toys, Chinese goods have entered all sectors in Turkey as well. According to a report by the Turkish Statistics Institute (TurkStat), Turkey imported $1.394 billion worth of products from China in May 2008 and $980 million in May of this year. Speaking with Today's Zaman, civil society representatives expressed their discontent over these figures.
Turkish Trade and Industry Minister Nihat Ergün expressed his feelings about the plight of the Turkic Uighurs, who have ethnic, cultural and linguistic bonds with Turkey, and said Turkey should protest against China by not buying Chinese goods. He later recanted his remarks, and the government said that his comments did not represent its official view but were rather his own personal opinion on the matter.
At present, there is no government policy on the issue, but society at large and NGOs in particular have started to think about the possibility of a boycott. Ankara Chamber of Commerce (ATO) head Sinan Aygün noted that he supports Ergün. “I cannot understand why Turkey still does nothing while there is genocide in Xinjiang. If there is genocide against Muslims, we must immediately start a boycotting campaign to teach the Chinese government a lesson. If consumers do not buy these products, the government will not import them,” he said, adding that they are ready to help formulate a plan for the campaign and put it into action.
A campaign against Chinese goods would be useful in two ways, according to Engin Başaran, head of the Consumers Association (TÜDER), who said a boycott of Chinese products must begin immediately and be developed further. “First, the Chinese government really deserves this because their behavior against our Uighur brothers has affected us so much. And secondly, we will rid our country of low-quality and unhealthy Chinese goods.” When asked how a campaign could be put into practice, she answered: “Prevent consumers from buying Chinese products is not enough. Actually, it is hard to prevent people from buying those products because the purchasing power of society is very low. Consumers want to buy cheap products so they tend to buy Chinese goods. Here, customs play a big role. Chinese products can easily pass through customs. This must be stopped.”
Bayram Kısıklı, head of the Consumers Foundation (TÜKO), however, described a slightly different approach from Başaran and Aygün. “In the past, there have been such campaigns against French or other foreign goods, but we saw that they were in vain. Still, we can tell society, ‘Do not buy Chinese goods,' but it doesn't really help because Chinese goods are being sold all around the world and the purchasing power of society is really low in Turkey,” he said. Noting that it should not be the government that starts such a campaign, he stated that they, as nongovernmental organizations, could react while keeping the doors of diplomacy open. “However, we should not be silent like sheep,” he added.
Chery automobiles in Turkey
Chery automobiles are one of the many Chinese products currently on sale in the Turkish market. They are manufactured by Chery Automobile Co. Ltd. and are exported to more than 60 countries and regions around the world. The automobiles were first sold in Turkey for low prices in 2008 and are now marketed by Mermerler Automotive, a Turkish distributor. The Chinese producer wants to make an investment in Turkey, and the manager of Chery says they came to Turkey to become a Turkish automobile brand.
In 2008 the company sold a total of 2,944 Chery automobiles countrywide. Mermerler Automotive Marketing Manager Nihal Selçuk Kürkçü said sale figures are satisfactory as the brand is new to the market, but when compared to other brands, higher figures can be expected because of the quality and advertising of Chery automobiles. Mermerler Automotive aims to sell 10,000 Chery automobiles this year.
Kürkçü also stated that they are concerned about speculation over a possible boycott against Chinese goods, adding, “We are certainly not happy about the violence in Xinjiang, but there should be a distinction made between politics and economy, and they should be handled differently.”
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