On October 23, 2017, following an official invitation, Ambassador Zou Xiaoli visited the city of Zakynthos and met with Mayor Pavlos Kolokotsas, President of the City Council Nikolaos Tsipiras, Vice Mayor of Agriculture, Vice Mayor of Cultural, other members of the municipal government, as well as, among others, representatives of the Chamber of Commerce, the food service and tourism sector.

Ambassador Zou said that by participating in the International Islands Tourism Conference in Zhoushan, Mayor Kolokotsas and his delegation widely promoted the island of Zakynthos and Greece as a whole. A year later, Greece and Zakynthos have gained greater recognition and the love of the Chinese people. Thanks to its strategic geographical position, Greece, a country with long history and rich culture, functions as bridge between three continents. There are great prospects for Sino-Greek cooperation in the tourism, agriculture and infrastructure industries. Following the establishment of the Beijing-Athens direct flight connection, the two countries have drawn closer. Ambassador Zou expressed his hope that Zakynthos will take advantage of this unique opportunity and join hands with nearby cities and islands to develop more tourism products, expand trade and agricultural production, and attract more Chinese tourists and businesses to the island. The Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Greece is willing and ready to provide all the necessary support and facilitate exchanges and cooperation efforts between the two sides.

Mayor Kolokotsas warmly thanked Ambassador Zou for his considerable help and support that guaranteed his delegation's successful visit to Zhoushan. He stressed that during their visit, they had the opportunity to experience first-hand the friendship and warmth of the Chinese people, and admired the richness of Chinese culture, the natural beauty of the country, and its unique cultural landscape. Even though China and Greece are geographically far apart, their rich culture and long history reduce the physical distance between them. A bronze bust of Confucius, donated to the city of Zakynthos by China's Shandong Province in 2014, has become one of the city's highlights. The island of Zakynthos is famous for its natural beauties and holds a special place in the country's history and cultural heritage. The people of the island actively support the New Silk Road Initiative and are willing to work together with China in the cultural, tourism, trade, and agricultural sectors, pursuing win-win cooperation. The people of Zakynthos would like to extend a warm welcome to Chinese tourists wishing to spend their vacations and Chinese enterprises seeking to invest on the island.

The island of Zakynthos is located in western Greece, in the Ionian Sea. It covers an area of 400 square kilometers and has a population of 40,000. It was the homeland of Greece's national poet, Dionysios Solomos. The lyrics of the Greek national anthem, entitled "Hymn to Liberty", derive from a poem of the same name, composed by this great poet.