Xiao Juncheng: Piraeus Port’s operating revenue is expected to reach 145.8 million euros, an annual increase of 28.02%
The message that in the last three years the Greco-Chinese cooperation has developed strong momentum, “which is going to turn into a strong driving force for development in the post-pandemic era”, says China’s ambassador to Greece Xiao Juncheng. He also expresses his belief that the Sino-Greek cooperation will bear fruit, offering tangible benefits to the two countries and the two peoples.
In particular, the Chinese ambassador observes that there has been no pause in exchanges and cooperation between the two countries due to the pandemic and underlines that by joining forces in the fight against the pandemic, Greece and China have actively promoted the development of their practical cooperation in various sectors. Indicatively, he notes that the two countries signed the Joint Action Program for Tourism 2022-2024, held together the 13th meeting of the China-Greece Joint Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation, held director-level talks within the framework of the bilateral Three-Year Plan Committee Cooperation in Key Sectors and established the Advisory Committee on Exchanges and Cooperation in Higher Education.
On the issue of bilateral trade, it states that from January to November 2022 its volume reached 12.8 billion dollars, registering an annual increase of 18.4%. For the first three quarters of the year, he adds, the operating income of the port of Piraeus is expected to reach 145.8 million euros, marking an annual increase of 28.02%.
Special mention is also made of the direct flight Shanghai-Athenswhich launched last week.
“These are just some of the achievements of our bilateral cooperation during the pandemic” he underlines and adds: “The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China clarified our tasks and the path we must follow to comprehensively promote the great revitalization of the Chinese nation through a Chinese modernization. China’s middle-income group is set to exceed 800 million within the next fifteen years. China will continue to steadily expand the opening of rules, regulations, management, standards, etc., promoting its mutual gain and mutually beneficial cooperation with Greece and other countries in the context of high-quality and joint construction of the “One Belt One Road” initiative.
In the wake of China’s gradual relaxation of the pandemic prevention and control policy, as well as the decision to end the mandatory quarantine upon entering the country from January 8, Xiao Juncheng reports that in the past three years since the outbreak of the COVID- 19, the Chinese government is constantly improving and adjusting epidemic prevention and control measures based on accurate scientific data and responding to conditions. “Today China has changed the classification of the outbreak from ‘Category A for the Management of Infectious Disease Type B’ to ‘Category B for the Management of Infectious Disease Type B.’
The burden of epidemic response has now shifted from infection prevention and control to medical care so that we maintain a line of defense in protecting health and preventing serious illness. Based on this, but also to make the movement of Chinese and foreigners more convenient, safe, orderly and efficient, the Chinese government has specially formulated a temporary plan of measures, which is to be implemented on January 8, 2023,” he points out.
In particular, he explains that under this plan, those traveling to China will be able to board their flight with negative 48 hour test before their departure and complete a health declaration to the customs authorities upon entry, no longer requiring them to apply for a QR code on their health status from the Chinese embassy.
“At the country’s points of entry, there will no longer be nucleic acid testing for entering individuals and there is no longer a requirement to quarantine in a centrally configured area. Our country will continue to improve the measures concerning the entry of foreigners into the country for the resumption of work and production, business activities, studies, visits to relatives, family reunifications, etc. reasons, providing corresponding facilities in the issuance of visas, canceling the passenger limit on international flights, gradually increasing the number of the latter and improving the distribution of routes.
In addition, China will gradually allow entry into the country from ports and land ports, further facilitating Chinese and foreign crew members and their movements,” he adds. He also expresses the belief that “these measures will provide an effective impetus for the gradual recovery and development of contacts and cooperation between China and Greece, allowing us to further develop our bilateral relations”.
Finally, Xiao Juncheng outlines the current economic situation in China and the growth prospects of the Chinese economy. “China insists on combining epidemic prevention and control with promoting economic and social development, minimizing the impact of the pandemic on our people’s lives and economic and social development. China’s average growth rate for 2020 and 2021 was 5.1%, with the country ranking among the world’s leading economies. Last year, China’s GDP accounted for 18.5% of the world’s GDP, while its foreign trade amounted to 6.9 trillion. dollars, with our country firmly remaining the second largest economy and the first trading power of the world. China’s economy has strong resilience, rich potential and vitality, with these fundamental characteristics remaining unchanged in the long term,” he says.
In this context, he notes that the Central Economic Conference held at the end of last month emphasized that China will continue to implement a proactive and prudent fiscal and monetary policy. “With the gradual and smooth improvement and adjustment of epidemic prevention and control measures, China’s economy is expected to continue its recovery. Recently the German and Australian chambers of commerce in China conducted a survey of German and Australian companies operating in the country. According to the results, 77% of surveyed German businesses believe that the annual growth rate of their industry will continue its upward trend over the next five years. 66% of Australian companies plan to expand their investment in the country, and 58% see China as one of the world’s top three investment destinations over the next three years. These statements strongly reflect the confidence of the international community in the prospects of China’s economic development.”
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