An organization of Turkey's leading firms, the Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD), is to set up a representative office in China to make the most of Asian business opportunities.

TUSIAD International chairman Aldo Kaslowski told Xinhua that the organization would soon open an office in Beijing or Shanghai to focus on the Asia-Pacific region, but the specific location was yet to be decided.

To help in the decision and explore investment opportunities, a TUSIAD International delegation comprising representatives of manufacturing and service sectors visited Beijing and Shanghai last month.

Kaslowski said the TUSIAD board would make the final decision on the basis of their evaluations imminently.

The visit had resulted in delegation members considering investing in China in the machinery, textiles, chemicals, construction materials, automotive spare parts, mines, and processed food industry sectors.

"We were impressed by China's incredible economic development. The visit was beyond our imagination and expectations," said

Kaslowski. "I think we came late, but I promise we will catch up rapidly."

Trade between China and Turkey rose rapidly to 4.87 billion dollars in 2005 from 3.41 billion dollars in 2004, an increase of 42.8 percent. China became Turkey's seventh largest trade partner last year and ranked fourth in Turkey's imports after Germany, Russia and Italy.

China and Turkey are complementary in their economic and resources structures. Two thirds of Turkey's imports are from China, including machinery and tools, fossil fuels, and audio-visual equipments, while China mainly imports steel, building materials, iron ore and chemical fibers.

The representative office would be responsible mainly for informing Turkish businesses about economic and political developments in the Asia-Pacific region and organizing high-level private sector visits to China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, India and the ASEAN countries.

Kaslowski said it would also seek to attract Chinese investment in Turkey since China had accumulated enough capital to explore world markets.

A second delegation is to visit within six months other regions of China, especially provinces around Shanghai and Hong Kong, to learn more about investment opportunities.