On September 20, Vice Minister of Commerce Gao Yan and the Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece Giorgos Katrougalos co-chaired the 12th China-Greece Joint Economic and Trade Committee in Athens. They exchanged ideas on bilateral trade and economic relationship, the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative and strengthening investment, trade and economic cooperation, reaching broad consensuses.

Gao said that at present, the relationship between China and Greece maintained a healthy momentum for frequent high-level official exchanges, and the cooperation in trade and economic investment and infrastructure construction areas achieved strategic and exemplary breakthroughs. Chinese enterprises’ investment enthusiasm in Greece keeps rising driven by the Piraeus Project of COSCO. China would like to strengthen the practical cooperation in various areas with Greece under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. Therefore, Gao put forward four suggestions: promoting the docking of Greece’s development strategies with the Belt and Road Initiative; expanding bilateral trade; strengthening investment cooperation; enhancing regional cooperation between China and Greece.

Katrougalos said that the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping was of great significance and Greece would like to actively participate in the Belt and Road construction. Greece hopes to expand cooperation in infrastructure, energy and communication and promote the trade and economic relationship between China and Europe.