Captain Wei Met with Prime Minister of Greece

On the noon of May 21, 2010 Athens, Captain Wei Jiafu, President & CEO of COSCO Group, who was heading a senior delegation for a business trip to Greece, paid a courtesy visit to Hon. George Papandreou, Prime Minister of the Republic of Greece, in Athens. During the meeting, Captain briefed the Prime Minister the purpose of his trip which was to deepen COSCO's win-win business collaborations with the Greek shipping and port communities on the foundations of the PCT project, a concession-based container terminal operation project by COSCO Pacific Co Ltd in Pier 2 and Pier 3 of Piraeus Container Port.

Captain Wei stressed that by adding new services from COSCO's shipping fleet to call at the port of Piraeus, COSCO contributed to the Port's role as an entry hub to the central and southern Europe and as a transshipment hub in the region. He also stated that COSCO intends to deepen its collaboration with Greek shipping, port and business community in such areas as ship chartering, ship repair and shipbuilding and logistics. Captain Wei expressed that he wishes his trip would be a vote of confidence to Greek shipping community, especially at a time when the country is currently challenged by credit environment.

Prime Minister Papandreou expressed his welcome to Captain Wei's visit to Greece, saying he appreciated COSCO's willingness to expand its business ties with Greek business community. The Prime Minister said he and his cabinet attaches great importance to the growing friendship between Greece and China, and in particular he values the spirits of mutual trust in the relationship of the two countries.

Prime Minister Papandreou also highly appreciated COSCO's efforts to promote the Port of Piraeus as a regional transshipment hub, saying that COSCO's deepening collaborations with its Greek partners will serve to the growing business ties between Greece and China.

The meeting was also attended by H.E. Luo Linquan, the Chinese Ambassador to the Republic of Greece and Hon. Harris Pampoukis, the State Minister of Greece.

COSCO Group