Premier Li Keqiang met with former Greek prime minister Antonis Samaras on July 26 in Beijing.

This year marks the 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Greece, and the two countries maintain a good momentum of development, according to the Premier.

He praised Samaras’ efforts in promoting China-Greece relations and bilateral practical cooperation, adding that in his term, the leading cooperative project of Piraeus Port was put in place and has become a key project under the Belt and Road Initiative.

The Premier said that China hopes to tap more potential in win-win cooperation with Greece by promoting political mutual trust, expanding cooperation in key areas, and improving people-to-people exchanges.

He said that under the current complicated international political and economic circumstances, China would like to strengthen cooperation with Greece and the rest of the European Union countries, to cope with uncertainties with stability, support trade liberalization and investment facilitation, and push for a more balanced economic globalization that benefits the world.

To develop friendship and cooperation with China is a consensus among all walks of life in Greece, Samaras said, adding that he hopes the two sides will continue to deepen pragmatic cooperation in all fields and achieve more mutually beneficial results.