Türkiye, China mark friendship by planting 10,000 saplings

The Consulate General of China in Istanbul, together with various Turkish non-governmental organizations and business leaders, commemorated Türkiye-China friendship on Sunday by planting 10,000 saplings in Istanbul.

Speaking at the ceremony, Chinese Consul General Wei Xiaodong said the event symbolizes long-term friendship and shared commitment to achieving net-zero carbon targets by 2050 through environmental diplomacy.

Noting that both countries attached great importance to green development, Wei said: “I am very happy to see that the practical cooperation between our countries covers many projects in the fields of green development and sustainable development. I look forward to a higher level of cooperation between China and Türkiye not only in diplomatic relations but also in the field of green development. I believe this will benefit both our countries and the world.”

Wei also highlighted the significance of the location of Sunday's event, the Arnavutkoy forest area near Istanbul Airport. “The place where we are planting trees today is very close to the airport, which is very important because the aviation sector consumes a lot of fossil fuels. Therefore, it is very good that we can do something about this issue.”

Mustafa Ciftci, vice president of the Green Türkiye Foresters Association which was a partner of the planting effort, emphasized the importance of public-interest activities in helping Türkiye meet its sustainability goals.

"As Green Türkiye, we encourage all companies to participate in sapling planting activities each year to help meet the 2050 carbon emission targets outlined in the Green Deal," Ciftci said. He thanked the Regional Directorate of Forestry for providing the planting area.

Kemal Aygenli, deputy mayor of Arnavutkoy Municipality, welcomed the afforestation initiative, while Ganimet Khasia, president of the China Hubei Region Businessmen Association, expressed hope that Türkiye-China relations would always be remembered through acts of friendship, love, and environmental stewardship.