Mayor meets Greek foreign affairs minister

Shanghai Mayor Ying Yong met Nikos Kotzias, minister of foreign affairs in Greece, and his delegation on Wednesday.

Ying said both China and Greece are nations of a long history and the two have had healthy and stable diplomatic relations and frequent leadership exchanges.

Shanghai and Greece have had a long-term friendly relations and the city and Piraeus and Athens formed twin city ties long time ago. The Port of Piraeus, operated by China Cosco Shipping Corporation, serves as an epitome of China and Greece’s cooperation.

As the testing field of the country’s opening-up and reforms, Shanghai will host the first China International Import Expo in November and the city welcomes Greece to participate in the expo. The city will work hard to provide quality services and security for the participating exhibitors, Ying said.

Also, the city wants to take the opportunity of Minister Kotzias’s visit to promote the two countries’ friendly exchanges and their cooperation in ports, trade, tourism, and cultural industries, he added.

Kotzias said both Greece and China have had a long history and Greece is willing to maintain a healthy and stable diplomatic relations with China and participate in the upcoming CIIE.

Shanghai has made impressive achievements in its economic development, and Greece hopes to strengthen its cooperation with Shanghai in tourism, technologies, arts and cultural industries.

Leonidas Rokanas, the Greek ambassador to China, also attended the meeting.