Three ministers in Beijing
- Written by E.Tsiliopoulos
At the same time as Greek PM Alexis Tsipras will be in Berlin on Monday for a crucial meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, three of the government’s top ministers will be heading in the opposite direction, to China for official contacts in Beijing.
Government Deputy PM Yiannis Dragasakis along with FM Nikos Kotzias and Minister of State Nikos Pappas are expected to hold preparatory talks with Chinese leadership ahead of a planned visit by PM Tsipras.
The focus will be on Chinese investments in Greece, given that Chinese multination Cosco runs two terminals at the port of Piraeus, the largest in Greece, and is also a bidder in a tender to assume management of the entire Piraeus Port Authority.
One impediment in any further Cosco involvement is internal opposition by SYRIZA’s anti-capitalist “Left Platform” to further privatizations in Greece, especially at the port, although the new government apparently has been hacking at such internal opposition. Chinese authorities are also reportedly interested in rail links in Greece, building a new private airport in western Crete and other projects.
