Li: Piraeus to become 'top-level' gateway

In a meeting without neckties, Premier Li Keqiang and his Greek counterpart vowed on Monday to forge a famous Greek port into a top-level one in the Mediterranean, following the approval of a landmark concession deal.

The visit to Beijing by Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras came after the Greek Parliament approved on June 30 the purchase by China Cosco Shipping Corp of a majority stake in the Piraeus Port Authority.

The company signed an agreement with Greece's privatization fund in April to acquire a 67 percent stake in the PPA.