The website chinaandgreece.com was created in September 2014 in order to contribute to a better understanding between China and Europe, emphasising on China and Greece. It has never put the traditional priorities of Greek foreign policy into question. By contrast, it has been insisting on the need of Greece to stay in the EU and NATO and keep the euro and – within this context – to explore more opportunities by approaching China and become involved in a multidimensional trade network including other countries such as the USA. In so doing, it responded to populism easily promising alternative financing sources by arguing that Greece had no other solution but to accept bailout terms. It has thus explained that China will only play a secondary role in the Greek crisis. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras confirmed in an interview he gave on 14 July 2015 that both Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and US President Barack Obama advised him to follow the European way.
As things have developed, it is now straightforward that Greece will have to apply bailout terms indeed. Even Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras landed into reality and admitted this basic truth. Many Greek citizens and politicians, who could not be persuaded before – due to ongoing populism, are gradually realising that the country has to change from within in co-operation with its European partners. Voices,which still disagree, cannot hide their agenda any longer. This is the return of Greece to its national currency and a subsequent chaotic default. Sooner or later they will be marginalised in the Parliament and in the society.
The shock of reality gives a unique opportunity to Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to build national consensus, form a unity government and proceed with the implementation of structural changes. This opportunity had been wasted by his predecessors who prefered the safe solution of austerity instead of the difficult choice of carrying out reforms. The website chinaandgreece.com will support this new necessary path Tsipras needs to follow in spite of his dramatic mistakes in the previous five months. This path will help Greece return to growth. It will also lead countries such as China to invest more.
George N. Tzogopoulos
