Chinese, Greek heads of govt discuss bilateral cooperation   

李克强应约同希腊新任总理齐普拉斯通电话

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras vowed Wednesday to further advance the friendly ties and win-win cooperation between their countries during a telephone conversation.

Li said China treasures bilateral friendship and continues to expand pragmatic cooperation with Greece. He wishes that both sides continue to be equal partners to achieve mutual benefit and win-win outcome, so as to lift bilateral ties to a higher level.

For his part, Tsipras said the Greek government also prioritizes relations with China and welcomes China to invest more in Greece.

Pledging not to change the nature of existing cooperation projects with China, Tsipras said Greece is confident that, together with China, the two countries' friendly and cooperative ties will be further advanced.

Li said that the China-Greece relationship enjoys huge potential and that achievements generated in their cooperation have benefited the two peoples.

The Chinese premier added that since Greece reffairmed welcome for Chinese investment and promised to implement existing bilateral deals, it should provide better legal guarantee for Chinese enterprises operating in Greece.

The Piraeus port project, a success of China-Greece cooperation, has boosted not only local employment, workers' rights and interests, but also the conservation and improvement of their working conditions, Li stressed, hoping that both sides keep own promises.

China is willing to work with the Greek side to develop the port into a first-class one in the Mediterranean and an important regional hub, which could play a key role in constructing a land-sea express passage linking China and Europe and boosting the Asia-Europe interconnectivity, said the Chinese premier.

Li expressed the confidence that the project will also accelerate the integration process and balanced development in Europe.

In response, Tsipras said that Greece, in a vital phase of reviving and developing national economy, needs China's support and help. Greece is ready to strengthen maritime and shipping collaboration with China and conduct mutually beneficial cooperation in such areas as infrastructure and finance, he added.

The Piraeus project with the Chinese shipping giant Cosco is crucial for Greece's economic development, he said. As a pilot project for Greece-China cooperation, Athens will attach more significance and provide more support for it, promised Tsipras.

China is an important power backing Europe's stability and development, said the Greek prime minister. Greece values the construction of the Europe-China land-sea express passage, and is willing to serve as a bridge for Europe-China interactions and enhance constant progress of the European-Chinese partnership.