Xi calls for expanded cooperation between China, Greece

BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping Saturday called on China and Greece to expand cooperation in energy, infrastructure, oceanic and telecommunications sectors to better benefit the people of both countries.

Xi made the remarks when meeting with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras who is in Beijing to attend the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation scheduled for May 14 and 15.

This year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Greece.

Commending the traditional friendship and vigorous cooperation between the two countries, Xi said China is willing to maintain high-level exchanges with Greece, and establish closer contact between governments at all levels.

He said both countries must work together to ensure balanced development of bilateral trade, and tap into their potential in cultural and people-to-people cooperation.

In particular, the Chinese president said the two countries should use the Ancient Civilizations Forum, a Greek initiative with China as co-organizer, as a platform to foster dialogue.

He said that China and Europe need to expand pragmatic cooperation and expressed hope that Greece will make a positive contribution to the long-term, healthy and stable development of China-EU ties.

Greece's own development strategy dovetails with the Belt and Road Initiative, Xi noted.

Efforts should be made to build the Port of Piraeus into a key transfer point for containers in the Mediterranean, a bridgehead for land-ocean transportation and an international logistics center to support the China-Europe Land-Sea Express Line and the Belt and Road Initiative, he said.

For his part, Tsipras also called on the two countries to deepen cooperation in fields such as agriculture, economy, energy, finance, investment and new technologies, and to jointly advance the Piraeus Port project.

He said the Belt and Road Initiative holds great vision and importance, and is conducive to the connectivity of energy, trade, transport and Internet across the Eurasian region.

Greece is glad to participate in the Belt and Road cooperation, and is willing to promote cooperation between China and Central and Eastern Europe countries as well as Europe at large, he said.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang also met with his Greek counterpart on Saturday, saying that China is willing to expand two-way investment and trade, strengthen cooperation on cultural industry and increase people-to-people exchanges with Greece.

Li also stressed the significance of the Port of Piraeus project, as a flagship project for the China-Greece cooperation.

Greece is willing to deepen cooperation with China in fields such as energy, communication, manufacturing, infrastructure and finance, Tsipras said, stressing that the bilateral ties are of strategic significance and the foundation of cooperation is solid.