Regional Governor Nikos Hardalias and Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng have outlined three primary areas for enhancing cooperation, fostering a spirit of friendship, mutual understanding, and respect.
This marks the third meeting between the two officials this year, following the signing of the Strategic Framework for Cooperation in January in Athens.
During this meeting, the Governor of Attica and the Mayor of Shanghai reaffirmed their commitment to collaboration in investment, trade, entrepreneurship, sustainable metropolitan development, tourism, and cultural exchanges.
“Since we established the Attica-Shanghai Strategic Cooperation Framework in January, we have made significant strides across various sectors, even amidst a challenging global landscape marked by multiple crises,” Hardalias stated. He added, “Our objective during each meeting is to turn our plans into actionable results, and we will persist in this endeavor.”
Memorandum of Cooperation Between the Chambers of Commerce of Attica and Shanghai
The Governor informed Mayor Gong about a significant project for expanding the cruise line at the Port of Piraeus, which is backed by €80 million from NSRF resources. He also shared that all necessary steps are being taken under the Region’s support to sign a Memorandum of Cooperation in November in China, between the Chambers of Commerce of Athens and Piraeus and the Shanghai Chamber of Commerce. This aims to bolster cooperation and facilitate market access for products and services from both countries while promoting further investments.
The next initiative will involve the Attica Region organizing annual visits starting in September 2026, where Greek businesspeople will visit Shanghai and vice versa, allowing for B2B meetings.
In response, Mayor Gong Zheng emphasized the Shanghai local government’s strong intent to deepen ties with Attica, stating: “The friendship between China and Greece has deep roots, as do the bonds between Attica and Shanghai. The Strategic Cooperation Framework we signed in January has unlocked new avenues for collaboration between our nations, and I am confident we will continue our work within this framework.”
