The close ties that historically connect China and Greece, as well as the further possibilities for cooperation that can be developed between the two countries, were outlined by the Chinese ambassador to Greece, Fang Qiu, speaking on the first day of the 13th Regional Growth Conference (RGC), organised by the newspaper "Peloponnisos" at the Conference and Cultural Centre of the University of Patras, on May 12-14.

The cooperation between the two countries in the port of Piraeus proves that it is a success story, which can serve as an example for the future, the Chinese ambassador noted.

"The 'Belt and Road' initiative is an initiative that embraces local development goals," he noted and added that it "brings advantages to both sides. China wants to expand cooperation with Greece. We want to have more agricultural exports to China, such as dairy products and Kozani saffron, and at the same time we want to have more tourism to Greece."

Qiu stressed that Greece and China have the resources to play a decisive role in modern geopolitical developments, noting: "We cannot allow the world to be destroyed. China and Greece, together, can be a voice of reason and progress. We want to focus on cooperation with Greece through mutual partnerships. Let us join forces to defend the rule of law and a global legal system, aiming for prosperity. Today, we need a voice of reason and cooperation. Greece and China share these values and are therefore ideally placed to offer exactly that."

Commenting on the Geneva agreement to reduce tariffs on both sides of US-China trade, the ambassador said: "We hope that the US will continue on the same path of reducing tariffs and increasing mutual cooperation for sustainable bilateral relations." He assured that "China is open to talks, as long as they are equal and based on respect."

At the same time, he underlined that "China is not afraid of a trade war", adding that his country is focusing on high-value development, having achieved record exports this year, while at the same time making a shift towards a more ecological economy.

"China's door is wide open and we call on our Greek friends to seize the opportunity offered by China’s development," concluded Qiu.

The RGC is co-organised by the Region of Western Greece and the University of Patras.