Belgium Highlights Turkey’s Rise as Emerging Maritime Power

(MENAFN) Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken said Tuesday that Türkiye is steadily rising as a significant maritime power, even as global attention remains focused on the naval competition between the United States and China.

In a post on the US social media platform X following a visit to Sedef Shipyard in Istanbul, Francken said Türkiye’s naval expansion is advancing rapidly and largely under the radar.

“While all eyes are focused on the naval arms race between China and the US, Türkiye is quietly emerging as a maritime power,” Francken wrote.

He highlighted Türkiye’s growing capacity to both order and domestically produce a wide range of naval vessels, including submarines, corvettes, frigates, destroyers, and even aircraft carriers.

“They are doing so quickly, with high quality and competitive prices. Turkish naval vessels are gradually gaining ground on the global market,” he added.

Francken also pointed to Türkiye’s broader economic trajectory, noting its rapid growth over the past two decades and its recent recovery from high inflation pressures. He said one key lesson he took away from the experience was that “hard times require hard measures.”

He further remarked on Istanbul’s strategic importance, describing it as a regional gateway not only to Central Asia but also to the Arab world, including in the media sector, noting the presence of major Arab media organizations in the city.

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