On the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Athens and Beijing, relations between the two countries are improving rapidly. Greece has an important place in China’s Belt-Road Project due to its geographical and geopolitical position. Athens is also important as the first European Union (EU) member to sign to this project of China.[1] All of these shows that the relations between Athens and Beijing are based on solid foundations.
On August 3, 2022, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias met on the sidelines of the 55th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) foreign ministers’ gathering in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. At this meeting, the two counterparts called for respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all states.[2]
One of the issues raised in the meeting was to increase the economic cooperation between the two countries. Beijing is willing to expand cooperation with Athens in the fields of transportation, energy, finance, and the digital economy, promoting flagship projects under the Belt-Road Project, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said. Greek Foreign Minister Dendias stated that Greece and China share a common language on defending sovereignty and territorial integrity and maintaining international order, noting that Athens will continue to firmly support the “One China” policy.[3]
Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias expressed Athens’ firm support for the “One China” policy at a time when tensions between the United States (US) and China have reached a high level due to the visit of the Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan.
Therefore, it can be said that Greece has taken an attitude that is on the side of China rather than the US in the face of this problem. In addition, China’s investments in Greece are pushing Athens to pursue a policy closer to Beijing in the face of the Taiwan issue. In 2021, the foreign trade volume between the two countries increased by 55.6% compared to the previous year, reaching over 12.1 billion dollars, is important in terms of showing the increasing cooperation in the economic field.[4]
Although the economic relations constitute the basic building blocks of relations between China and Greece, relations have turned into a strategic partnership in a way with China’s purchase of the Port of Piraeus Athens in 2016. Because, in China’s sight, the Port of Piraeus is a gateway to Europe. In addition, it has a very strategic importance in terms of the policy pursued by Beijing within the scope of the Belt-Road Project. Although the US perceives the initiative as a geopolitical tool used by China to achieve global supremacy, it is thought-provoking that it remains silent on this issue. The reason for this can be sought in the activities of the Greek lobby, which is influential in the US. Moreover, the negative approach of the US towards Türkiye in recent years has somewhat overshadowed these activities of Greece.
Based on the example of China’s purchase of the Port of Piraeus, it seems likely that a strategic struggle will take place on Greek territory over the ports in the future. Although China owns the Port of Piraeus, Russia has purchased the Port of Thessaloniki and the US has purchased the Port of Alexandroupolis. While it is observed that China and Russia are aiming to make economic gains from the Greek ports, it is noticeable that the US’ goal is in the military field. Thanks to this port, the US is both surrounding Russia and trying to prevent China, which the latter has invested heavily in the Port of Piraeus, by piling up in Greece, which is an important route within the framework of China’s Belt-Road Project.
Given the limited power of Greece, how it can balance these three countries arises as a question mark. Greece’s territory, which is also a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), is becoming a focus of the struggle for influence between the US, China and Russia. It can be said that the weakest side in this equation Russia. Because Russia’s launching of an invasion operation against Ukraine on February 24, 2022, caused Moscow to be isolated, especially in the Western geography. Russia has recently added Greece to the list of unfriendly countries.[5] In this context, it would not be wrong to say that the main struggle for the sphere of influence over Greece will be between Beijing and Washington.
Greece, which is a member of both the EU and NATO, comes to the forefront as the only state that is a member of these two organizations and maintains such close relations with China. However, Greece’s continuation of this policy of equilibrium depends, in a sense, on how the relations between China and the US will develop. In this context, relations of Greece with China may be shaped according to the progress of the divergence between the US and China. If the divergence intensifies, there is a possibility that Chinese influence in Greece could be loudly raised by the US. Therefore, the US can pursue a policy that forces Greece to choose sides.
Consequently, Dendias and Wang Yi’s talks within the framework of the ASEAN Meeting was an important meeting for Athens and Beijing to emphasize their commitment to each other’s territorial integrity and national sovereignty. The two ministers also agreed on the strengthening of already developing economic relations. The most important detail of the meeting is that Athens reiterates its support for the “One China” policy, indirectly siding with Beijing at a point when tensions between the US and China have reached their peak.
From the Beijing’s point of view, relations with Greece are very important. These relations have a strategic dimension as well as an economic dimension, and this should not be ignored. Because the Port of Piraeus, which China owns in Greece, is a bridge between China and Europe. Furthermore, China has also settled in the Eastern Mediterranean via Greece. If a third party does not intervene in the relations between the two countries, – which seems unlikely according to the current conjuncture- it can be said that the relations will develop at a rapidly increasing momentum.
[1]“Ancient civilizations, modern friends: 50 years of Greece-China relations”, China Global Television Network CGTN, https://newseu.cgtn.com/news/2022-05-28/Ancient-civilizations-modern-friends-50-years-of-Greece-China-bonds-1anVNHWMJRS/index.html, (Date of Accession: 08.08.2022).
[2]“Dendias meets China counterpart on sidelines of ASEAN gathering”, Ekathimerini, https://www.ekathimerini.com/news/1190473/dendias-meets-china-counterpart-on-sidelines-of-asean-meeting/, (Date of Accession: 07.08.2022).
[3]“China, Greece vow to expand bilateral economic cooperation”, Global Times, https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202208/1272163.shtml , (Date of Accession: 07.08.2022).
[4] Ibid.
[5]“Russia adds Greece, Denmark, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia to its unfriendly countries list”, TASS Russian News Agency, https://tass.com/politics/1483331 , (Date of Accession: 08.08.2022).
