By Aikaterini Tsimplaki
Regular Member of Journalists Union of Athens Daily Newspapers, Greece
Greece – China, a relationship between two countries that goes back thousands of years, with strong cultural and constantly developing economic ties.
Greece and the People’s Republic of China established diplomatic relations in 1972, which in 2006 were upgraded to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, aiming to develop multi-level cooperation with an emphasis on the economic sector.
Bilateral trade in goods and services has been growing over the last five years (2020-2024), with a total value of 7.358 billion euros in 2024. According to the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT), in 2024 the main products exported by Greece to China were marble (98,698,878 euros), followed by medicines (71,440,189 euros), precious metal ores (61,791,434 euros), other products (20,046,469 euros), copper scrap and waste (16,581,800 euros), whey (15,212,574 euros), petroleum oils (13,470,022 euros), engine parts (9,620,719 euros), gas meters (6,795,771 euros), and centrifuges (5,637,366 euros). Of these, gas meters increased by 372.92% and medicines by 91.49%. The biggest decreases were in centrifugal machines (-71.67%) and petroleum oils (-51.97%).
In terms of imports, cars hold the largest share, reflecting a sharp rise in Greek interest in Chinese vehicles, which surged by an extraordinary 152,617.80%. According to ELSTAT, in 2024 Greece imported from China semiconductor devices (772,935,956 euros), computer data processing devices (505,516,086 euros), artificial climate machines and devices (212,362,464 euros), telephone apparatus (191,321,023 euros), electrical transformers (169,280,554 euros), toys (155,885,586 euros), furniture (134,747,932 euros), lighting fixtures and fittings (126,147,980 euros), motor vehicles (124,707,830 euros), and paper packaging (112,926,619 euros).
According to preliminary data from the Bank of Greece (BoG), Chinese investment interest in Greece in 2024 focused on infrastructure, energy, telecommunications, and logistics. The most significant investment remains COSCO’s involvement in the expansion and modernization of the Port of Piraeus, which has become the second largest commercial port in the Mediterranean and the fourth largest in Europe.
As for Greek investments in China for 2024, they amount to 14.2 million euros. Almost all Greek investments in China have been made in Hong Kong, the economic hub of Greater Southeast Asia.
Greece was traditionally an attraction for Chinese tourists. In 2022, the Joint Action Program between Greece and China for Tourism for the years 2022-2024 was signed. For 2023, tourist arrivals from China to Greece amounted to 95,311, according to the Greek National Tourism Organization (EOT) office in China. Since the launch of the Golden Visa program, Chinese citizens have shown high interest and have proceeded to purchase properties in Greece.
Relations between Greece and China are not limited to the bilateral level but have developed cooperation in international organizations as well as regional schemes.
As part of Europe-Asia cooperation, Greece and China both participate in the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM). China is also a founding member of the Greek-led international initiative, the “Forum of Ancient Civilizations”, and hosted the Forum’s third ministerial meeting in Beijing on November 29, 2019.
China also participates in the core group of the Greek initiative of the UN Resolution on the Promotion of Human Rights through Sport and the Olympic Ideal.
Greece also takes part in China’s multilateral initiatives, including the China-Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC), which aims to strengthen cooperation with Central and Eastern Europe. Greece joined the initiative in April 2019. Key areas of cooperation include agriculture, education, energy, culture, customs, technology, tourism, and health.
The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a Chinese development strategy announced in 2013, originally under the name One Belt One Road. It involves a large number of countries, including several EU member states. The initiative envisages the use of five axes, two maritime and three land axes, along which a number of infrastructure projects (ports, rail links, logistics and product assembly centers, etc.) are expected to be planned and implemented.
Bilateral cultural and educational relations are governed by the 1978 Cultural Cooperation Agreement. However, there are also bilateral individual agreements, including agreements on the prevention of theft, illegal excavation, and the import and export of cultural goods; on maritime cultural heritage; and on cooperation in the field of sport.
Chinese universities have Chairs – Departments of Greek Studies in the following, among others: Shanghai University of International Studies, Beijing University of Foreign Studies, Guangdong University in South China, Nankai University, and Tianjin (Centre for Hellenic Studies).
The Centre for Greek and Chinese Ancient Culture is also supported by four Greek universities: the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (where the Centre is located), the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, the University of Patras and the University of Crete, as well as four Chinese universities (Southwest University, Renmin University of China, Shandong University and Sichuan University). In July 2024, the inauguration of the new building of the Centre for Chinese and Greek Ancient Culture, “Centre for Aristotle”, took place in Chongqing. Southwest University is to have the role of coordinator.
The Confucius Institutes are actively promoting Chinese language and culture through a range of educational and cultural activities. In Greece, institutes have been established at the Athens University of Economics and Business (operating since 2009 as the Business Confucius Institute), the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, the University of Thessaly, the University of Patras (launched on 1 October 2024), and the University of West Attica (established on 30 June 2023). The Confucius Institute has also developed partnerships with the University of the Aegean.
*The views and opinions expressed in the articles are solely those of the individual authors and do not reflect the position of the Secretariat of the Belt and Road Journalist Network.