Chinese Premier Li Qiang made a brief stop on the island of Rhodes on 4 July while en route to the BRICS Summit in Brazil, meeting Greek Deputy Prime Minister Kostis Hatzidakis at the medieval Palace of the Grand Master. It was Li’s first visit to Greece since taking office in 2023. Li told Hatzidakis that Beijing will “encourage more capable Chinese enterprises to actively invest in Greece” and collaborate on a high-quality expansion of the Cosco-controlled Port of Piraeus, according to remarks reported by Xinhua. He also cited clean energy, power transmission and artificial intelligence as additional areas for cooperation and called for a “more optimised and balanced” bilateral trade relationship ahead of the 20th anniversary of the China-Greece comprehensive strategic partnership in 2026. Hatzidakis said Athens aims to boost exports to China and deepen collaboration in tourism and cultural exchange, adding that any agreements will align with Greece’s commitments to the European Union and NATO. The stopover underscored Greece’s role as a key entry point for Chinese trade with Europe amid heightened global protectionism.