On the afternoon of November 3, 2023, President Xi Jinping met at the Great Hall of the People with Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis who is paying an official visit to China.
Xi Jinping pointed out that China and Greece are partners for Belt and Road cooperation and civilizational exchanges and mutual learning. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries more than half a century ago, China-Greece relations have always enjoyed sound development and grown from strength to strength. China cherishes its traditional friendship with Greece and stands ready to work with Greece to maintain strategic guidance, and uphold openness and cooperation to add new dimensions to China-Greece comprehensive strategic partnership in the new era.
Xi Jinping emphasized that mutually beneficial cooperation and civilizational exchanges are two major bonds in China-Greece relations. Not long ago, the Greek government sent a high-level delegation to attend the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, showing its support for Belt and Road cooperation. China is ready to work with Greece to strengthen the synergy of development strategies, deepen cooperation in such fields as transportation, shipping, energy, communications and finance, expand cooperation opportunities in green economy, digital economy and scientific and technological innovation, advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and promote the long-term, steady and sustainable development of Piraeus Port.
China encourages Chinese enterprises to invest and do business in Greece, welcomes Greek enterprises’ participation in the cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European countries, and welcomes more high-quality Greek products to the Chinese market. China supports people-to-people and cultural exchange mechanisms such as the Center of Chinese and Greek Ancient Civilizations and the Ancient Civilizations Forum, and is ready to deepen exchanges and cooperation with Greece in fields like education, culture, scientific research, tourism and youth, give full play to the cultural strengths of the two countries to promote inter-civilization exchanges and mutual learning, strengthen international communication and cooperation, uphold true multilateralism, and contribute wisdom and strength to building a human community with a shared future.
Xi Jinping pointed out that this year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership between China and the European Union (EU). China-EU relations bear on the well-being of the people of China and the EU and on world peace, stability and prosperity. China and the EU cannot achieve sound development of their relations without upholding independence, mutual respect and mutually beneficial cooperation. China is ready to work with the EU to uphold the right perception of each other, focus on consensus, keep relations to the right direction, and activate mutually beneficial cooperation across the board.
Xi Jinping expressed the hope that Greece will continue to play a constructive role in this regard. Kyriakos Mitsotakis said that President Xi Jinping’s successful state visit to Greece in 2019 left a deep impression on the Greek people. Since then, Greece-China relations have maintained strong momentum of development, and the economic cooperation between the two countries has yielded remarkable results. The project of Piraeus Port has been a successful example of mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation between Greece and China benefiting the people of the two countries.
Greece is ready to work with China to continue to advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, further tap the potential, expand mutually beneficial cooperation in such fields as shipping and clean energy, hopes that more Greek products will enter the Chinese market, and welcomes more Chinese tourists to Greece. Greece and China are both ancient civilizations, and Greece is ready to strengthen personnel exchanges with China, deepen people-to-people and cultural exchanges, jointly run well the Center of Greek and Chinese Ancient Civilizations, advocate mutual learning, and promote the establishment of more harmonious and balanced international relations.
Greece firmly adheres to the one-China policy, highly appreciates China’s just position in international and regional affairs, and is ready to cooperate closely with China on multilateral occasions. Greece is ready to be a bridge for EU-China cooperation. The EU and China are well positioned to work hand in hand in the spirit of equality and mutual respect, and Greece is ready to continue to actively promote the sound development of EU-China relations.
Source: Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in The Republic of India
