ISTANBUL - Turkish and Chinese companies on Tuesday held business talks here and signed 36 deals worth nearly $300 million.

The agreements cover Turkey's featured products like marble, chrome ore, soybean oil, flaxseed oil, clean wool, hazelnut, pistachio nut and cotton linter.

China is currently Turkey's second largest trading partner. A business delegation sent by China's Ministry of Commerce is in Turkey for talks about advancing bilateral economic and trade exchanges, boosting practical cooperation between Chinese and Turkish businesses and promoting bilateral trade in a balanced way.

Addressing the business talks in Istanbul, the Chinese speakers referred to the fact that China's imports stood at $1.68 trillion in 2015, making it the second largest importer in the world for seven years in a row.

While China is set to continue its proactive importing policy and expand market opening to the world, the country will optimize continually the sources of its imports as well in the process, offering better opportunities for Turkey and others, as Beijing has been actively advancing the Belt and Road Initiative, the Chinese speakers said.

The Turkish side lauded the visit by the Chinese delegation, calling it a practical measure to boost bilateral trade.