Greece’s prime minister Antonis Samaras is visiting China in an effort to get investment in the debt-ridden country. On Thursday, the first day of his official contacts, Samaras invited the Chinese business community to join “Greece’s success story.” On Friday Samaras reiterated his invitation to the Chinese political and business world assure them that “Chinas must see Greece as Europe’s investment gateway.” The visit continued with the exchange of promises for the future economic cooperation but also long-range strategic plans. The friendship and good intention was sealed with the signature of several agreements by both governments.
“Chinese companies desire involvement in Greece’s infrastructure sector,” Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and asked Samaras to reduce bureaucracy and simplify the process for visa issuing.
“We are global shipping powers and we can cooperate in many areas. Since 2010 there has been heightened cooperation, while Chinese companies desire to become active in the infrastructure sectors. We will take action to boost commercial transactions, with the target of increasing the volume of transactions to eight billion euros in 2015.” Li Keqiang said among others.
Greek premier Antonis Samaras noted that the new investment law made provision for fast-track procedures that will make Chinese investment easier, adding that the Greek government “is here to look at everything, step by step, and facilitate our cooperation.”
Greek media reported that the two premiers discussed also expanding the activity of the Chinese container company Cosco at Greece’s biggest port Piraeus, the possibility of Chinese investment in Greek railroads and regional airports and ports. Also Chinese investments at airport Eleftherios Venizelos was discussed.
Antonis Samaras is accompanied by more than 60 Greek businessmen seeking mainly to export in China.
The Greek PM will be in China until May 19th 2013.
As the visit of Samaras in China has been much promoted and praised as THE chance to boost the Greek economy, I cannot help but upload a song written by Turkish poet Nazim Hikmet and translated into Greek by Nobel Laureate Yiannis Ritsos.
“If half of my heart lies here, the other half is in China”
Video: Maria Dimitriadi “H alli misi moy kardia stin Kina vrisketai”
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Nazim Hikmet, a Turkish communist, wrote this poem on the execution of Greek resistance leader Nikos Beloyiannis in 1952. In his poem, Hikmet praises among others Mao’s Zetong’s “Great Leap Forward”.
No matter whether the Mao’s communism or the communist neo-liberalism, China will always be a source of inspiration and hope for the folks in our Eastern Mediterranean area 🙂
PS Details about the signed agreements see here
