Mitsotakis hails Greek cooperation with China
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has praised his country’s “win-win cooperation” with China as he renews efforts to rebuild the country.
He made the remarks on Saturday at the opening ceremony of the 84th Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF), the country’s largest annual commercial exhibition.
Mitsotakis noted that China Ocean Shipping Company’s (Cosco Group) “flagship project” at Piraeus Port, launched amid the decade-long debt crisis, is expected to generate new wealth to distribute to austerity-hit citizens.
“Cosco submitted a bolder master plan which includes more investments for the expansion of sea cruise piers, new infrastructure and construction of hotels,” said Mitsotakis, adding that the Shipping Ministry will have a response next month.
“The total value of the investment is about 800 million euros and 2,500 people will work during the works stage, while 3,000 permanent new job positions will be created,” he said, referring to a few figures highlighting the project’s benefits for the local economy.
The mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries also extends to education, Mitsotakis said at a press conference at the TIF venue on Sunday.
The Greek government intends to launch programs at Greek universities in English to attract more Chinese students, Mitsotakis said.
He believes that by supporting foreign investments, and implementing much needed reforms in the educational system and the functioning of the state and the economy generally, Greece can soon surprise the international community.
“Currently we not only have a vision for a better Greece, but also a plan,” said Mitsotakis.
[Xinhua]
