Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in Greece for visit

ATHENS, Greece  – Chinese President Xi Jinping has arrived in Greece on an official visit meant to deepen economic ties between the two countries.

FILE – In this Oct. 1, 2019, file photo, participants cheer beneath a large portrait of Chinese President Xi Jinping during a parade to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the founding of Communist China in Beijing. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)

Xi is due to meet President Prokopis Pavlopoulos, who visited China last May, and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Monday. Xi and Mitsotakis met a few days ago, at the China International Import Expo in Shanghai.

Xi and Mitsotakis will visit the port of Piraeus, Greece’s largest and majority owned by Chinese port operator Cosco.

It is the biggest Chinese investment in Greece and Cosco recently received approval for a new investment plan that includes building a new cargo terminal.

Xi will also attend the opening of Bank of China’s first branch in the country.

Before departing from Athens on Tuesday, Xi will visit the Acropolis Museum. /gsg