TABA-AmCham Chairman Sanli stated that they see the developments at the NATO Leaders Summit as the beginning of the period when the stones will fall into place between Turkiye and the USA, and said, “The visits of the USA purchasing delegations to our country have started.”
Suleyman Sanli, Chairman of the Turkish-American Businessmen Association (TABA-AmCham), evaluated Turkiye’s intense diplomacy at the NATO Leaders’ Summit, the messages he gave there, and the positive results of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s meeting with many leaders, especially US President Joe Biden.
Stating that Turkiye’s geopolitical position necessitates facing great risks and dangers as well as great opportunities from time to time, Sanli continued his words as follows:
“It is in the interests of the United States and Europe to strengthen the economy of the Turkish army and the Turkish defense industry, which is NATO’s second largest force, and to respond to challenges. We see this summit (NATO) as the beginning of a period in which the stones will be set again in the fluctuating relations between Turkiye, the USA and Europe in the last 25 years.”
Sanli emphasized that with the initiative developed in NATO, they expect the problems to be solved one by one between Turkiye and the USA in the new period, and that mutual trade, exports and investments will increase.
“The USA rose to the second place in our exports despite the negativities”
Suleyman Sanli said that Turkiye’s exports to the USA have continued to increase despite the problems experienced between the two countries in recent years, and that the USA is the second largest market.
Sanli said, “For the USA, there are serious opportunities in Turkiye in the fields of production sectors such as furniture, processed food, textile, leather, chemistry and packaging, as well as services such as tourism and digital. On the other hand, we need to increase our e-export volume. We can reach our exports to $29 billion in a short time by taking a 1% share from the USA, which imports $2.9 trillion.”
Stating that we should proceed on the way to signing a mutual free trade agreement (STA) with the USA, Sanli said, “Even if the STA is not at first, a concessional trade agreement between the USA and Vietnam or a qualified industrial zones (QIZ) agreement between Turkiye and the USA, which will also include Israel, will increase mutual export, investment and lobbying power in every sense. The QIZ agreement allows us to re-establish a strong lobby in response not only to trade investment, but also to the negative activities and efforts of anti-Turkiye lobbies in the USA.”
“Turkiye’s capacity is much higher than Vietnam, which has an annual surplus of $60 billion against the United States”
TABA-AmCham Chairman Sanli touched on the foreign trade volume of $100 billion between the two countries and said that this figure can be reached and gains can increase with the right steps and mutual understanding and cooperation.
Stating that the USA’s choice of Turkiye as a reliable supplier and the influence of Turkiye’s regional leadership come together, there can be serious developments. “We can exceed the $100 billion target if we become a reliable supplier to the United States and have the scale and production capacity to meet their demand.”
Sanli stated that mutual trade between the USA and Vietnam is approaching $200 billion, and Vietnam gives a foreign trade surplus of $60 billion to the USA on an annual basis, and said:
“Turkiye’s capacity is far beyond these and similar countries. A mutual approach that facilitates trade and encourages entrepreneurs will also lead to the emergence of our real potential. The visits of US purchasing delegations to our country have started. We should encourage these companies to open permanent offices and headquarters in Turkiye. This will increase our exports and purchases from here.”
Source: AA / Prepared by Irem Yildiz