Workers move books in front of a billboard featuring a traditional Greek landscape during the Beijing International Tourism Expo (BITE) 2006 on June 22, 2006 in Beijing, China. (Photo : Getty Images)
Chinese companies doing business in Greece were given the opportunity to share their thoughts on investing in the country during a One Belt, One Road or OBOR business workshop on Monday.
"Enhance trust to open a path to success," China's Ambassador to Greece Zou Xiaoli said during his opening speech at the workshop. "China needs Greece, just as Greece needs China."
"China highly appreciates the support and active participation of Greece in the Belt and Road Initiative, and is confident that Greece will not only walk out of the debt crisis but also play a more important role in regional peace and stability," Zou added.
With China COSCO Shipping's $409 million acquisition of the Piraeus cargo port being the most successful joint infrastructure project in Greece, Zou expressed his confidence for additional business initiatives due to improved China-Greece ties including industries such as shipbuilding, ports, airports, telecommunication, finance, tourism, and real estate.
"Greek businesses have also intensified their efforts in exploring the Chinese market," Zou said.
As China and Greece share common interests in opposing protectionist policies and promoting economic globalization, Zou noted the important role the two countries can play between the East and the West.
He also noted that 2017 marks the year of Cultural Exchanges and Cultural Industry Cooperation, while in September China will be the honored country of the Thessaloniki International Fair.
Greece's Deputy Minister of Economy and Development Stergios Pitsiorlas said the strategies of China for the Belt & Road initiative run parallel with the Greek government's strategy for a multidimensional role of Greece in the region.
"The future cooperation of the two countries looks very promising," he told Chinese entrepreneurs in the workshop.
Pitsiorlas noted the importance of Chinese companies to be informed and updated on Greek laws and the possibilities they offer.
"From our side the goal is to create a friendly environment for Chinese companies to come and invest in Greece, to cooperate with Greek companies and to create synergies in order to jointly promote our goals," he added.
