The belt, the corridor, and roadblocks: locating the persisting trade deficit in Turkey-China economic relations

China-Turkey trade results in a substantial trade deficit for Turkey. This article examines the trade deficit issue and aims to contribute in three ways. First, it illustrates that Turkey's trade deficit with China has a structural nature and is unlikely to be substantially reduced through policy initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative. Second, it argues that trade constitutes an increasingly contentious aspect of bilateral relations. Finally, it highlights an overestimation in China to-Turkey export data, showing that Turkey's imports from China, particularly in high-tech sectors, contain a significant proportion of 'indirect' imports from leading global companies.