On April 8, 2002, Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan held
talks with Greek Foreign Minister George
Papandreou.
Tang said that this year marks the
30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic
relations between China and Greece. Bilateral relations have
been developing smoothly since the establishment of
diplomatic relations 30 years ago. Bilateral exchanges and
cooperation in the fields of politics, economy and trade,
science and technology, culture and education as well as
military affairs have been deepening and expanding, with
good results achieved. China appreciates Greece's friendly
stand on Taiwan, Tibet and human rights issues, said Tang,
expressing China's wish to push forward friendly relations
and cooperation by taking the chance of the 30th anniversary
of the establishment of diplomatic relations.
Papandreou fully agreed with Tang on his
positive assessment of bilateral relations. He said that
Greece attaches great importance to friendly relations and
cooperation with China in all fields. Greece wishes to
strengthen political, economic, cultural and diplomatic
exchanges and ties through cooperation on hosting the
Olympic Games. Greece will take the rotary chair of the
European Union in the first half of next year, and is
willing to play a positive role in promoting in-depth
development of EU-China relations.
Tang said
that Greece and China would host the first two Olympic Games
in the 21st century subsequently, providing a rare
opportunity for the development of bilateral relations.
China is ready to expand exchanges and cooperation with the
Greek side in this regard.
The two sides also
had an in-depth and extensive exchange of views on
international and regional issues of common concern.
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