Greek Immigration focuses on Greek Immigration Economy: Petros Triantafyllidis, Deputy Secretary General for International Economic Relations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic, introduced that from traditional shipping to the emerging IT industry, Shenzhen enterprises have a wide range of cooperation in Greece.
"Like China, Greece is an important birthplace of world civilization, and the foundation for cooperation and development between the two countries is solid," said Triantafyllidis. He stated that although Greece has faced temporary difficulties due to the sovereign debt crisis in recent years, the advantages of traditional industries such as shipping, tourism, agriculture, food processing, and light industry remain strong. At the same time, the Greek government is actively promoting economic and social welfare reforms to encourage foreign investment, with China being one of the important partners.
"Shenzhen is an important port in the world, and Greece's shipbuilding and shipping industries are precisely its strengths, providing many opportunities for cooperation in this area," Triantafyllidis said. Greek agricultural products such as fruits, vegetables, cotton, and olive oil are exported in large quantities and are well-received by Chinese consumers. In the past two years, the depreciation of the euro has led to rapid growth in Greece's tourism industry. Attractions such as the Acropolis of Athens, the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, and the ancient Olympic Stadium are particularly favored by Chinese tourists, including those from Shenzhen. According to data released by the Hellenic Statistical Authority, the number of Chinese tourists entering Greece in 2014 exceeded 100,000, a year-on-year increase of 70%, many of whom came from Shenzhen and Guangdong province.
Triantafyllidis particularly recommended Greece's IT industry. "Shenzhen is China's first special economic zone, vibrant and rapidly developing, producing a large number of leading Chinese enterprises that are going global. Companies from Shenzhen, such as Huawei and ZTE, have established a foothold in Greece," he pointed out. Greece has good research and educational capabilities, with many IT talents, and Chinese high-tech enterprises can fully utilize this advantage, using Greece as a gateway to enter Europe or establishing R&D centers here.