Friday, November 30, 2012
Deputy Foreign Minister Dimitris Kourkoulas is on a five-day official visit to China, accompanied by the Foreign Ministry’s General Secretary for International Economic Relations and Development Cooperation, Peter Mihalos, in order to promote investments and bilateral relations.
On November 27, Kourkoulas met with his Chinese counterpart Xie Hangsheng, and they both declared their commitment towards strengthening political and economic ties between the two countries, especially in the shipping, tourism, trade and investment sectors. Hangsheng expressed his respect for the efforts of the Greek people and government to restructure the economy, and reaffirmed China’s support for the stabilization of the eurozone.
Kourkoulas provided an in-depth analysis of the recent Eurogoup decision for Greece, and also conveyed Greece’s willingness to play an active part in the China-EU strategic relationship, ahead of the Greek EU Presidency scheduled for 2014. Kourkoulas also met with Captain Wei Jiafu, president of COSCO, to inform him on the structural changes being implemented in order to enhance Greece’s competitiveness.
Kourkoulas provided an in-depth analysis of the recent Eurogoup decision for Greece, and also conveyed Greece’s willingness to play an active part in the China-EU strategic relationship, ahead of the Greek EU Presidency scheduled for 2014. Kourkoulas also met with Captain Wei Jiafu, president of COSCO, to inform him on the structural changes being implemented in order to enhance Greece’s competitiveness.
The minister was also a keynote speaker at an investment workshop co-hosted by the Greek Embassy in Beijing and the Chinese Ministry of Commerce. On November 28, Kourkoulas participated in the 11th Greek-Chinese Joint Interministerial Committee (JIC), in Beijing. The Chinese delegation was headed by Deputy Foreign Minister for foreign trade affairs Zhong Shan. The agenda included commercial and economic relations issues, focusing on the promotion of bilateral cooperation in the investment, shipping, tourism, transport and energy sectors.
The Greek minister briefed the Chinese delegation on the new legislative and regulatory framework designed to attract investments, and they reaffirmed their determination to further develop commercial and economic relations with Greece.
On November 29, Kourkoulas attended an event organized on the initiative of Greek entrepreneurs for the promotion of Greek products and later departed for Shanghai, where he will be attending a two-day investment forum co-hosted by the Greek Consulate General in Shanghai and 21st Century Media.
