sino greek trade
Greco-Chinese Trade
Vocabulary
shake | deal (2) | shake hands |
expect | transfer | mission (2) |
crisis | sign (3) | start a new page |
quarter | approve | agreement |
port | stake (2) | parliament |
worth | vessel (2) | container (2) |
hub (2) |
Video: Greco-Chinese Business
Transcript
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has been shaking a lot of hands in China.
His mission: to bring back some good deals for Greece; he’s already signed a number of agreements on culture, education, investments and exports between Greece and China.
Alexis Tsipras, Prime Minister, Greece: “We’ve seen economic growth again in the second quarter of 2016. In 2017, we’re expecting the economy to grow three percent.”
I’m glad so say we are finally moving out of the crisis, and starting a new page as a country.”
Just last week, the Greek Parliament approved a plan to transfer a sixty-seven percent stake in the Port of Piraeus to the Chinese company Costo. It’s worth three-hundred and sixty eight million Euros.
Costo uses Piraeus as a trans-shipment hub for Asian exports to Europe arriving on container vessels from China.
The deal could mark the beginning of a new economic relationship between Greece and Asia.
Questions
1. “Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has been shaking a lot of hands in China.” What does this mean? Why has he been doing this?
2. How is Greece’s economy coming along? Has it always been this way?
3. What is Cosco? What did they do?
4. The Port of Piraeus deal was an ordinary business to business agreement. True or false?
5. Why did Cosco purchase a majority of shares in the Port of Piraeus?
6. What will happen in the years to come? What will happen in the future?
A. Why did Greece sell shares in the Port of Piraeus to Cosco?
B. Might some or many Greeks be concerned or worried about this?
C. Is there (much) trade and investment between your country and other countries, such as Germany, US, China?
D. How do people feel about international trade and globalization?
E. What will happen in the future?