BEIJING/ISTANBUL, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- This year marks the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March and the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Türkiye. Turkish scholars, students and political figures say the military odyssey offers insights into China's revolutionary history and development path, while calling for deeper cultural and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.
The Red Army, led by the Communist Party of China (CPC), was mainly made up of soldiers from peasants' and workers' families during the Chinese revolution. Between 1934 and 1936, the army trekked roughly 12,500 kilometers to break through the encirclement of the Kuomintang forces, a journey later known as the Long March.
Murat Tamer, a Turkish scholar specializing in cultural exchanges between China and Türkiye, said the Long March deserved greater recognition in Türkiye. More than a historic march, it demonstrated the CPC's determination, organizational strength and strategic thinking in the face of formidable challenges, he said.
The great spirit of the Long March, Tamer added, could help Turkish people better understand how China overcame difficulties and forged its own path of development.
For Turkish students in China, the Long March also offers lessons that resonate with their own experiences.
Berfin Adiyaman, a master's student in applied economics at Northwestern Polytechnical University, said learning about the Long March had deepened her understanding of the importance of perseverance.
While studying in China, she has faced challenges including language barriers and homesickness. Her involvement in exchanges between Chinese and Turkish businesses, as well as her work at a logistics company in Xi'an, northwest China, enabled her to gain a closer look at Chinese society, she said.
"Whether it is a country or an individual, courage and perseverance are essential in the face of adversity," Adiyaman said, adding that she hoped to contribute to China-Türkiye economic cooperation and youth exchanges.
Yuksel Mansur Kilinc, a member of the Türkiye-China Interparliamentary Friendship Group of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye, said China's development path has attracted attention in Türkiye, particularly its focus on common prosperity, harmony between humanity and nature, and the coordinated development of material and spiritual civilization.
Kilinc said China and Türkiye have new opportunities to deepen bilateral ties. Events marking the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations have been held across Türkiye this year, reflecting interest in expanding exchanges between the two countries.
Describing cultural exchanges as an important foundation for bilateral relations, he called for closer cooperation in the media and cultural sectors alongside economic and technological collaboration, saying such efforts could promote mutual understanding and support the long-term development of China-Türkiye relations. ■
