Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras begins a five-day official visit to China on Saturday, as his leftist government is banking heavily on continued strategic interest by Beijing, especially on the economic and investment front.
Tsipras heads to the Far East with a final ratification of a concession contract transferring a majority stake of the Piraeus Port Authority (OLP) and its management to Chinese multinational Cosco in his luggage.
The landmark Cosco deal was achieved even in the face of internal ruling party opposition, with its conclusion considered a fillip for the investment-starved east Mediterranean country, which is in its seventh year of recession.
Tsipras will head up a large delegation of government officials – more than half a dozen ministers – and business representatives.
The business delegation includes executives from the Hellenic Marine Equipment Manufacturers and Exporters (HEMEXPO), the Hellenic-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, the Public Power Corp., Boutaris wineries, the Arta producers’ cooperative, Domotechniki, National Bank of Greece’s real estate subsidiary, the Grecotel and Daskalantonakis hotel groups, Temes, the Costa Navarino resort and the affiliated Costamare shipping company, MyOdyssey Travel Ltd, Ambotis Holidays, Manessis Travel AE, Apivita S.A., Α. Kaousis S.A., the Association of Northern Greece Industries (SBBE), National Can Hellas, Biosolids, the Hellenic Association of Travel and Tourist Agencies (HATTA), the Greece-China Business Center, NanoPhos S.A., Archirodon S.A., Aegean Airlines, Cosco Greece, Doppler S.A., the Greek-Chinese Economic Council, the Athens Professional Chamber, Kleemann, Euromedica S.A., Perseus Healthcare (Metropolitan Hospital), Dodoni SA, Hellenic Aerospace Industries, Hellenic Defence Systems, the Hellenic Bank Association as well as the Enterprise Greece.
