The changes taking place in Shanghai are very impressive and Turkey can learn from Shanghai's developing economy, said visiting Turkish Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul Friday.

Turkey will take active and necessary measures to promote bilateral trade and encourage Turkish business people to invest and set up joint ventures in Shanghai, said Gul while meeting with Shanghai's vice mayor Tang Dengjie.

Gul arrived in Beijing Tuesday for an official visit at the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing.

He arrived in Shanghai on Thursday and has visited the Pudong New District, the Oriental Pearl TV Tower and Shanghai Museum, and met with Chinese and Turkish entrepreneurs.

China established diplomatic ties with Turkey in 1971. Bilateral trade volume in the first 11 months of 2004 topped US$3.11 billion, up 33 percent over the same period of 2003. China mainly exports machine tools, textile and chemical products to Turkey and imports metallic products and ores.

(Xinhua News Agency February 5, 2005)