Sino-Turkish relations date back centuries, remembered today

ISTANBUL - At the heart of Istanbul lies the Topkapi Palace, a must-see for tourists from around the world for its rich trove of treasures collected over the 400 years it served as the Ottoman sultans' residence.

Among the antiques are thousands of Chinese porcelain pieces made during the Song (960-1279), Yuan (1271-1368), Ming (1368-1644), and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. It's the largest collection of Chinese ceramics outside of China.