"We're working on transforming our industrial zone into a green, resilient and sustainable space," said Fatma Sahin, mayor of Trkiye's historically rich Gaziantep city, adding that China's expertise in this area could help her city move faster and smarter.

GAZIANTEP, Trkiye, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Trkiye-China ties are entering a new era of cooperation centered on innovation, sustainable development and connectivity through the Belt and Road cooperation, Fatma Sahin, mayor of Trkiye's historically rich Gaziantep city, has said.

Gaziantep has a deep historical link with China through the ancient Silk Road and its ties with China are growing, particularly in green industry, AI and tourism, Sahin told Xinhua in a recent interview.

Recalling her first trip to China in the early 2000s as a lawmaker and member of the Trkiye-China friendship group, she said she was impressed by the extraordinary transformation she witnessed in China over the years.

On her most recent visit to Beijing, Sahin said she was "amazed by the progress, especially the inclusiveness of the municipality's services."

The Chinese approach to municipal governance, aided by AI and data-based decision-making, offers valuable insights, she said.

"If we had access to such a data-driven model in Gaziantep, we could provide even more effective services to our citizens," she added.

Gaziantep, a prominent city along the ancient Silk Roads, has long been a center of commerce and cultural exchange. Today, with a population exceeding 2 million, it has become a major manufacturing hub.

Under the Belt and Road cooperation, Trkiye and China are deepening cooperation in infrastructure, trade and sustainable development. Sahin believed local governments have a key role to play in this process.

"We're working on transforming our industrial zone into a green, resilient and sustainable space," she said, adding that China's expertise in this area could help her city move faster and smarter.

Gaziantep is already benefiting from bilateral partnerships. Two local companies are currently cooperating with Chinese firms on solar energy projects, and Sahin hailed it as a win-win result for both sides and a boost for the local economy.

Sahin said green transformation is a top priority for Gaziantep. Gaziantep is carefully studying China's approach to green urban development as it pursues its own economic transition.

Tourism and cultural exchange are also on Sahin's agenda. Sahin expressed her hope that more Chinese visitors will come to explore the rich heritage of her city.

Gaziantep is "a unique destination where archaeological sites like Gobeklitepe and Zeugma offer deep historical value, and our gastronomy is world-renowned," she said.

In her view, the Belt and Road Initiative offers an opportunity not only for economic cooperation but also for forging stronger bonds between societies.

For Gaziantep, she said, the future lies in building bridges, not just between the East and West, but also between the past and future.

"Our ancestors have transformed the Silk Road into a development road ... and traded on it without making differences of race, religion or language, and everybody gained from this," she added.