By Theofanis Zois
Journalist of NAFTEMPORIKI, Greece
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share some thoughts on our relations with China. Thoughts that, as they arise in an environment of intense economic competition, come to highlight the importance and value of holding Forums like the one being organized, offering hospitality and important information for your country. Because China, beyond a competitor, is also a partner. And because in the difficult and unpredictable times we live in, it is very important to be able to first distinguish, and then to put forward elements that unite and bridge differences, as opposed to elements that exacerbate tensions and create gaps and dead ends.
It is certainly known that the cultural relations between Greece and China have a long and rich history dating back to antiquity. It is remarkable not only that the relations between the two countries go so deep into the past, but also how significant their contribution and influence on world culture are.
However, we do not stand only on our glorious ancient past. Today’s Forum is an opportunity to highlight the importance of this heritage, not only as an object of awe and admiration, but also as an inspiration and starting point for new achievements, based on mutual understanding, equal exchange of ideas and cooperation between the two states.
As peoples, Greeks and Chinese, we have created cultures with global influence, of which we are proud. We thus share a heritage that gives us a sense of wisdom and at the same time a sense of responsibility towards it. In this spirit, we as Greece enthusiastically embraced the initial concept of the Chinese “Belt and Road” Initiative (BRI), which constitutes a modern version of the ancient Silk Road. And it is a fact that with our joining the initiative, our bilateral economic relations were strengthened and new opportunities for the development of trade connections were created. The Chinese investment in the port of Piraeus is the most prominent example of recent Greek-Chinese cooperation in the economic sector. Currently, Piraeus is one of the largest container transit ports in the Mediterranean and the 5th largest in Europe. In addition to its contribution to the Greek economy, its contribution to the stability of the regional and global supply chain is equally important. However, our overall cooperation with China in the shipping sector is also essential, in both economic and strategic terms. I would like to point out that in the last decade, half of the Greek new ships were built in China, while Greece and China currently constitute the two leading powers worldwide in terms of their commercial fleets. In addition, negotiations have progressed so that Greek marine equipment manufacturing companies can be included among the main suppliers of materials to Chinese shipyards. Our economic cooperation with China naturally has great scope for strengthening, mainly in the direction of balancing the trade balance.
The upgrades of the Greek economy by international investment houses, including two of the largest Chinese rating agencies, Lianhe Credit and Chengxin Rating Group, give additional impetus to the prospects of attracting new Chinese investments in Greece.
Overall, the modern economic and cultural relations between Greece and China have a long and interesting history that continues to evolve – flourish – and develop in the modern world. Despite differences in language, religion and cultural traditions, Greek and Chinese cultures share many similarities in their emphasis on philosophy, aesthetics and spirituality.
Cultural exchanges are a constant pursuit of Greece. In particular, exchanges of know-how on issues of restoration and conservation of cultural heritage monuments, while increasing emphasis is now being placed on protection from the climate crisis.
In particular, our relations with China on cultural issues are based on a rich network of memoranda of understanding and cooperation that cover a wide range of joint actions to highlight the great cultural heritage of our countries.
Both Socrates and Confucius – whose statues adorned the Ancient Agora of Athens, as a kind donation of the National Art Museum of China in the context of the recent Greece-China Year of Culture and Tourism – symbolized the importance of continuous learning and the search for truth and morality as inherent to civilized man.
The philosophical “affinities” of Greece and China were also the subject of the Symposium “Aristotle-Confucius for the Ethics of the 21st Century”, which was held at the Megaron of the Academy of Athens.
The technology of the 5th century BC allowed the creation of unique monuments such as the Parthenon, which still stands today and captivates the eyes of visitors to Athens from all over the world. The technology of the 21st century allows today’s creator to share his digital work with the whole world at the same time, while augmented reality gives us the opportunity to see what these achievements were like in the past.
Our current prosperity is due to the achievements of research, science and technology, for which you have made leaps.
We therefore closely monitor and support technological developments that, like the ancient Silk Roads, open corridors that facilitate the rapprochement of peoples, strengthening cooperative relations and deepening mutual understanding between the peoples of the world.
The participation of journalists from all over the world in Forums such as the “2025 Belt and Road Journalists Forum” helps in increased mutual understanding between people.
Because, as the leading Greek writer Nikos Kazantzakis says in the preface to his book on China, “When I close my eyes to enjoy a country again, all five of my senses come to me.”
*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.