On November 3, Ling Ji, Vice Minister of Commerce and Deputy China International Trade Representative, and Harry Theoharis, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece, co-chaired the 15th Meeting of China-Greece Joint Economic and Trade Committee in Ningbo, Zhejiang.

Ling Ji said that this year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Greece comprehensive strategic partnership. Over the past two decades, under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, China-Greece economic and trade relations have continued to develop in a sustained and sound manner. The two sides have achieved fruitful results in areas such as trade and investment, ports and shipping, green energy, tourism, and agriculture. China is ready to work with Greece to further expand cooperation in areas such as trade in services, the digital economy and the marine economy, and to create new growth drivers for China-Greece economic and trade cooperation. Since the beginning of this year, China and the EU have held two meetings of the China-EU Trade and Investment Consultations (TIC), yielding a series of outcomes and consensus. China is ready to continue to strengthen dialogue and cooperation with the EU on the basis of reciprocity, balance and compliance with WTO rules, and to jointly maintain the stable development of China-EU economic and trade relations.

Harry Theoharis said that Greece and China respect each other and both have time-honored histories and cultures. Greece attaches great importance to economic and trade relations with China, and is ready to deepen connectivity cooperation and expand exports of quality agricultural and food products to China. He added that Chinese enterprises are welcome to invest in Greece and do business there. Greece appreciates the positive outcomes of the EU-China Trade and Investment Consultations, supports the EU and China in continuing to advance dialogue and consultation and properly handling differences, and is ready to play a positive role to this end. (Released on November 3)