Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang phoned Greek premier Alexis Tsipras on Wednesday to congratulate him on his election and invite him to visit China.
According to a Reuters report, citing government sources, Li Keqiang assured Tsipras that Chinese companies are interested in making new investments in Greece.
The conversation between the two men focused mainly on ways to further improve economic, commercial and cultural cooperation between the two countries.
The two leaders also talked about the prospect of Chinese companies expanding their activity in Greece into other sectors.
The “Chinese barometer” has been closely watched since SYRIZA swept to power on Jan. 25, given that Chinese multinational Cosco operates the Piraeus port container concession at the same-name port, the largest in Greece.
Although Cosco’s high-profile investment has proved very successful one of the first statements by the newly named SYRIZA ministers whose portfolio includes ports was to promise that the contract would be reviewed “to the benefit of the Greek people”.
An even more ominous devleopment was the promise to cancel a tender for a majority stake of the entire Piraeus Port Authority (OLP), with Cosco one of five bidders for that concession.
