Turkish Foreign Policy Towards East Asia in the Last Century: a Search for Identity

Abstract

This study examines the evolution of Turkish foreign policy towards East Asia over the past century, focusing on the interplay between systemic, domestic, and identity-based factors shaping Turkey’s engagement with the region. Employing an analytical framework, the research categorizes Turkey’s foreign policy trajectory into distinct periods. The findings highlight that Turkey’s engagement with East Asia has often been peripheral, influenced by global structural dynamics, domestic political transformations, and identity construction efforts. East Asia, particularly Japan, played a symbolic role during the Ottoman Empire. Subsequent phases saw pragmatic economic collaborations with Japan and South Korea, while relations with China were marked by fluctuations due to trade imbalances and human rights issues. The AKP era brought renewed interest in East Asia within a broader reorientation of foreign policy, balancing Western alignment with regional autonomy. Despite systemic and domestic challenges, Turkey established strategic and economic partnerships with East Asian nations, including Japan, South Korea, and ASEAN countries. The study concludes that Turkey’s East Asia policy serves as a lens for understanding its broader foreign policy shifts, reflecting the complexities of navigating domestic and global transformations while seeking a coherent identity on the world stage. © 2025 selection and editorial matter, Hasan Topaçoglu; individual chapters, the contributors.