Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis arrived in China this Thursday and is scheduled to have a series of high level meetings with the Chinese political leadership. This high-ranking Greek delegation aims to work towards strengthening bilateral political relations.
The PM’s schedule included a visit around Beijing’s fabled Forbidden City, while on Friday he met with the President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping, Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang and the Chairman of the National People’s Congress of China, Zhao Leji.
Furthermore, the Greek Transport & Infrastructure Minister Christos Staikouras, who is part of the delegation, will sign a bilateral air travel between Greece and China. This agreement aligns with the Horizontal Air Agreement between the EU and China, as both Greece and China continue to strive for a permanent direct air link between the two countries.
Additionally, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Kostas Fragkogiannis will join Staikouras in Shanghai to attend the opening ceremony of this year’s sixth China International Import Expo (CIIE). Greece is participating in the exhibition with a national pavilion, with themes such as industry/construction, shipping, cuisine/the Mediterranean diet, tourism, and culture, and with a sector pavilion specifically for foods and beverages. Twenty representatives of Greek companies will be in attendance.
The pre-eminent Chinese investment in Greece is multinational Cosco’s acquisition of a majority (67 percent) of the Piraeus Port Authority (PPA), the biggest and busiest port in the east Mediterranean country, following a deal completed in 2016. The shipping and port operator also holds PPA’s management.
