Li visits site of Chinese investment in Greek port of Piraeus

World Today

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang is now on a three-day visit to Greece, the first official one to the country since he took office last year.

Premier Li addressed the China-Greece Marine Cooperation Forum, in which he called for stronger maritime cooperation between the two and expounded China’s viewpoints on maritime affairs. Li also visited Piraeus Port, the largest in Greece, where Chinese companies are now running part of the port.

Speaking at the China-Greece Marine Cooperation Forum on Friday, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang reiterated viewpoints on maritime affairs.

China is committed to settling maritime disputes through dialogue and negotiation, on the basis of respecting historical facts and international law.

China will also unswervingly follow the path of peaceful development and firmly oppose any act of hegemony in maritime affairs.

He added that the country is resolute in safeguarding its national sovereignty and territorial integrity. The same day, Premier Li visited Piraeus Port.

Both sides are jointly operating the Piraeus Container Terminal project, which Li called a “pearl” in bilateral cooperation.

China’s state-owned shipping giant COSCO has a concession to operate container terminals at the port.

The project has added thousands of jobs to the southern European country, something it needed since the economic crisis hit.

Li said that 80-percent of China’s import and export trade with Europe was transported by sea, and that the use of Piraeus had reduced the average trip via the Suez Canal by between seven and 11 days. CCTV’s Xu Jiaying reports.

Li visits site of Chinese investment in Greek port of Piraeus

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang is now on a three-day visit to Greece, the first official one to the country since he took office last year.