Greece joins 16+1 Initiative for regional trade with China
Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic on Friday welcomed Greece as the 17th member of the 16+1 Initiative of Central and Eastern European countries plus China at a summit of the initiative on trade held in Dubrovnik.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang sought to allay concerns that it is violating European Union competition rules, pledging to respect standards and fair trade.
The inclusion of Greece in the initiative will add value to the Greek economy and boost the country’s credentials as a regional hub, a Greek government source said.
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is also to join a summit on China’s Belt and Road Forum in Beijing on April 27, the source said.
Speaking in Dubrovnik, Tsipras said Greece’s inclusion in the initiative was “a very significant development.”
“It is a very critical moment for global and regional developments and we should leave the crisis behind and build new foundations to support our regional and global cooperation,” he said.
