Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-11 03:06:36|Editor: Zhou Xin

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by Maria Spiliopoulou, Alexia Vlachou

THESSALONIKI, Greece, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- China is a power with a strategic plan and Greece can only benefit from bilateral cooperation, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said during a press conference on Sunday in the northern city port of Thessaloniki.

As the honored country of the 82nd Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF), Greece's top annual trade exhibition, China is at the spotlight of the fair's opening this weekend.

During a press briefing after his opening speech, the Greek leader commented on Greece's strategic partner, expressing his admiration over the strategy of "a strong and peaceful country".

China is one of "the few countries with such strength, having a strategy, a plan, knowing what she wants," he said.

Greece is thirsty for foreign investments and is open to discuss collaboration projects with all interested sides, as it can only benefit from investments such as the one Chinese made at the port of Piraeus in recent years, he added.

"Greece is a member of the eurozone, of Europe, a pillar of the European policy thanks to its history and culture, and in parallel a country which can communicate like no one other with Russia, China and the Arab world. Only a few countries are in position to do this," the Greek leader stressed.

"Greece must become the country, and this is our vision for our foreign policy, which will certainly have roots in the eurozone, in the heart of Europe, but will also extend its branches to the East and the North and the South," he said.

Tsipras inaugurated on Saturday the Chinese pavilion, which covers 6,000 square meters at TIF, calling for more Chinese companies to invest in Greece.

The exhibition runs to Sept. 17 and until then it is estimated that at least 250,000 visitors from 17 countries will stroll through the booths of some 1,500 exhibitors, making it the most successful exhibition of the past decade, according to organizers.