In 2013, during his visit to ASEAN, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the initiative to build the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. Since then, Chinese officials have stated on various occasions that they will intensify planning and accelerate the construction of the Maritime Silk Road.
In this regard, Costis told the media on the 9th that given Greece's unique geographical location and relatively developed infrastructure, Greece has shown great interest in the Maritime Silk Road project.
Costis pointed out that Greece is located at the intersection of Asia, Europe, and Africa, making it an ideal gateway to emerging markets in Southeast Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean, as well as a gateway to Europe from the South, the Middle East, and the Far East.
According to relevant officials from the Embassy of Greece in China, in terms of aviation, Greece has 45 airports, 15 of which are international airports. Regarding maritime transport, Greece has 16 international ports. Among them, the Port of Piraeus, which is close to the main Mediterranean shipping routes, is one of Europe's busiest ports. If Chinese goods enter the European market through this port, it will save 7-12 days compared to using other European ports. The merchant fleet of Greece accounts for approximately 17.2% of the global fleet, with chemical and refined oil tankers accounting for 12.5%. Furthermore, the national road network was significantly improved during the 2004 Athens Olympics.
Costis stated that Greece is emerging from a severe economic crisis and is prepared to cooperate more closely with China in fields such as transportation and infrastructure. "This will not only benefit Greece and China but also all participating countries across the vast region from the Pacific to Europe."
In fact, some Chinese companies have already begun collaborating with Greece in the transportation sector. Costis revealed that Huawei and ZTE currently have logistics centers established at the Port of Piraeus and plan to further expand their operations.