Addressing the Greek Parliament on Sunday during the second day of an official visit to Greece, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao gave China’s “vote of confidence” in Greece’s future, saying that through closer cooperation China could help Greece quickly overcome its present difficulties. Mr Jiabao pumped $US5 billion into the Greek shipping sector, the fund is designed help Greek shipping firms buy Chinese ships.
Premier Wen said China will continue to buy Greek bonds and that assurance as well as the $5.14bn financial program for the shipping sector represent some of China’s most substantive support for the debt ridden euro zone.
Premier Wen said China will continue to buy Greek bonds and that assurance as well as the $5.14bn financial program for the shipping sector represent some of China’s most substantive support for the debt ridden euro zone. It also reflects the Asian giant’s growing willingness to wield its economic clout to obtain wider international influence. Mr Wen’s Athens visit kicked off a week of intensive Chinese-European diplomacy, as the Premier also heads to Italy and Turkey for summit meetings with European Union leaders in Brussels.
During a speech attended Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou, the leaders of the Parliamentary groups, former Parliament presidents, MPs and representatives of Greek industry and business, Wen said the effort to deepen and develop Greek-Chinese cooperation should focus on boosting bilateral trade, shipping and transport, science and tourism.
Wen’s speech particularly emphasised relations between the EU and China and pointed to figures showing that EU exports to China had increased 42 percent in the first half of 2010. He underlined that his country was steadfastly pursuing a “win-win” strategy in its dealings with the rest of the world and that China supports a stable euro.
At the end of the Chinese prime minister’s address, Parliament President Philippos Petsalnikos presented him with Parliament’s gold medal. Meeting with President Papoulias, visit to Acropolis Prior to addressing Parliament, Wen was received by President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias at the presidential mansion and paid a visit to the Athens Acropolis.
He also laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and met briefly with Parliament President Philippos Petsalnikos.
Immediately after the meeting with the president, which also attended by Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas, President Papoulias hosted a dinner for the Chinese premier, the Chinese delegation, several cabinet ministers and Bank of Greece governor George Provopoulos.