On November 12, 2019 local time, President Xi Jinping met with former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras of Greece in Athens.

Xi Jinping highly appreciated the efforts made by Alexis Tsipras in promoting China-Greece friendship and cooperation when he served as Prime Minister of Greece. Xi Jinping noted, while we attach importance to interests in state-to-state exchanges, it is more important for us to uphold good faith. As the proverb goes, the rose's in her hand, the flavor in mine. The Chinese side has been firmly supporting the Greek government and people in coping with the impact of a financial crisis, and resolutely promoting practical cooperation between our two countries. I am delighted to see that the Greek economy has emerged from the plight and returned to growth, and China-Greece cooperation has yielded significant results, especially that fresh progress has been made in the Piraeus Port project, which has realized mutually beneficial and win-win results. I believe that the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative between China and Greece will help Greece achieve the goal of building itself into a regional transport and logistics hub, and vigorously boost China-Central and Eastern European Countries cooperation, and that bilateral cooperation will enjoy even broader prospects. I hope you and the political party you lead will continue to support the development of China-Greece relations.

Alexis Tsipras expressed, Greece was in a debt crisis during my term as Prime Minister of Greece. China provided assistance to help Greece emerge from the crisis. As the saying goes, a friend in need is a friend indeed. The Greek people will always remember the precious assistance from China and see the Chinese people as true friends. The Greek side highly appreciates the Belt and Road Initiative put forward by President Xi Jinping and is delighted to see even more positive results achieved in the Piraeus Port project undertaken by China Ocean Shipping Company. The political party I lead and I will strengthen inter-party exchanges with the Communist Party of China and continue to actively promote the development of Greece-China and Europe-China relations.

Ding Xuexiang, Yang Jiechi, Wang Yi and others were present.