希腊比雷埃夫斯市长莫拉里斯：我们的确是中国在欧洲的桥头堡，这是好事-扬尼斯·莫拉里斯

位于希腊首都雅典西南的比雷埃夫斯港（简称比港），被誉为“欧洲南部门户”。这里是构建“巴尔干一带一路”的中欧陆海快线中转点，是中欧贸易的关键海上枢纽，也是“一带一路”沿线的重要项目。

2008年，中国远洋海运集团（简称中远集团）成功中标，获得比雷埃夫斯港2号、3号集装箱码头35年特许经营权，2009年10月全面接手经营。尽管受到新冠疫情及俄乌冲突的影响，中远海运比港经营业绩仍在2021年和2022年连续创下自1930年比雷埃夫斯港务局成立以来的历史记录。

2022年，比雷埃夫斯港集装箱吞吐量保持在500万标准箱以上，继续保持地中海第一、欧洲前五大港地位。2022年度，公司实现营业收入同比增长26.2%，达1.946亿欧元，净利润同比增长43.9%，达5290万欧元。

比港历年吞吐量图（数据自Lloyd’s List）

比雷埃夫斯市市长扬尼斯·莫拉利斯（Yannis Moralis）亲眼见证了比雷埃夫斯港的变化。他于2014年上任市长后，在其任内的2016年，中远集团控制了比港的多数股份。近日，莫拉里斯接受观察者网专访，介绍了与中方合作带来的变化，反驳西方对“一带一路”的恶意炒作，并提出自己对未来合作前景的期望。

2019年1月拍摄的比雷埃夫斯港。新华社记者 吴鲁摄

【采访/观察者网  李泽西】

观察者网：您担任比雷埃夫斯市长期间，中远集团全面接管比雷埃夫斯港。在此期间，港口和周边地区发生了哪些变化？

**莫拉里斯：**在过去的几年里，比雷埃夫斯确实发生了很大的变化，而这一重大变化主要归功于以下三个因素：

一、港口的发展，以及与中远集团签订的特许经营权协议所带来的经济活动和业务的扩展；

二、作为市政当局，我们为在本市创造一个有利于投资的环境而做出的协调努力；

三、其他一些大规模的公共投资，主要是在交通领域，例如连接比雷埃夫斯与雅典机场的地铁线，在提高游客往来比雷埃夫斯的便利性方面发挥了至关重要的作用。

中国中远集团的投资是希腊过去几十年来最大的外国投资项目之一，为当地的发展前景和机遇创造了强大动力，同时也带来了更多的投资。近几年来，尽管面临着金融风险和新冠疫情等冲击，但比雷埃夫斯市仍在快速蓬勃地发展，而且这些发展也不仅限于港口周边地区。

有几家大企业已经开始在比雷埃夫斯投资并开展业务，房地产、特别是办公楼的建设也在大幅增长。此外，希腊中央政府特别重视比雷埃夫斯的发展，因为比雷埃夫斯港是希腊最大的港口。

2023年7月10日，“东方比雷埃夫斯”号大型集装箱船抵达希腊最大港口比雷埃夫斯。 新华社发

观察者网：您对未来有何期望？

**莫拉里斯：**由于比雷埃夫斯已成为希腊最重要的交通枢纽，我对比雷埃夫斯寄予厚望，希望它能发展成为一个更智能、更开放、更创新的城市，这也是一个大型现代化港口城市应有的状态。

此外，我还希望比雷埃夫斯市未来不断发展的过程中，能够进一步重视环境保护和提高居民生活质量的社会需求。这也是为什么我们在持续、协同、系统地开展工作，一方面从港口发展中获益，同时也要应对港口运营给城市带来的一些负面影响。

观察者网：在比雷埃夫斯港的运行过程中，遇到了哪些文化、商业惯例、组织结构和法律制度等方面的差异带来的挑战？这些问题是如何解决的？

**莫拉里斯：**当一家公司在外国进行投资时，尤其是当投资涉及到在行政、就业和企业文化方面存在显著差异的国家时，确实会遇到诸多挑战。然而，遵守法律是先决条件，也是绝对必要的，尤其考虑到希腊最大的比雷埃夫斯港口对中希双方的重大意义。因此，希腊政府对中远集团的港口特许经营权协议是根据现行法律规定进行的，合同双方的权利和义务都是根据这些立法和法律规定产生的。

观察者网：比雷埃夫斯港现在被认为具有战略意义，甚至被西方媒体炒作为“中国在欧洲的桥头堡”这一带有负面色彩的角色，对此您怎么看？

**莫拉里斯：**由于地处东西方之间，比雷埃夫斯一直是一个战略性港口。在古代，特别是公元前5世纪，比雷埃夫斯曾是雅典的军港。我相信中国人很容易理解这一点，因为中国与希腊一样拥有悠久的历史。

公元前5世纪后期的比雷埃夫斯（图源：修昔底德《伯罗奔尼撒战争史》中文版）

此外，比雷埃夫斯是希腊航运的基地，而希腊拥有世界上最大的船队（观察者网注：采访后，根据最新数据显示，中国已超越希腊，成为世界第一大船东国）。比雷埃夫斯是希腊航运业和旅游业的基石，这两者又是希腊经济最主要和最强大的支柱。近年来，它已蜕变为一个现代化、高标准的港口，与全球最大的港口竞争，并巩固了其作为运输、贸易、旅游和海事中心的重要地位。

比雷埃夫斯港的确是中国在欧洲的“桥头堡”，但我并不认为这是负面的。

观察者网：一些西方评论家将比雷埃夫斯港与斯里兰卡的汉班托塔港相提并论，炒作称后者是所谓“债务陷阱外交”的典范。您如何看待这种比较，以及关于“债务陷阱外交”的炒作？

**莫拉里斯：**中远集团接管比雷埃夫斯港，得到了希腊议会大多数议员的投票支持，并在过去几年中得到历届希腊政府的支持。诚然，该特许经营权协议是在希腊财政状况岌岌可危的时期达成的，但我并不认为作为欧盟成员国的希腊可以在政治或经济层面与斯里兰卡相提并论。

不过，作为比雷埃夫斯市长，我可以阐述与该市有关的问题。比雷埃夫斯市政府的目标是获得尽可能多的利益。例如，所有港口城市都能获得港口运营补偿费，而比雷埃夫斯市每年可获得250万欧元（约合2000万元人民币），港口也在创造就业机会以及进一步发展邮轮业，这在很大程度上加强了我们城市的旅游宣传。

与此同时，我们还不断从各个方面努力，确保各方遵守有关环境、投资和其他问题的相关法律。如果说有什么问题的话，港口业务发展起来后带来了严重的交通拥堵，对我们的城市和居民来说都是一种负担，我们也正着力在解决。

观察者网：2018年，希腊成为第一个加入“一带一路”倡议的欧盟成员国，借助这一合作，比雷埃夫斯港也获得了高速发展。今年是“一带一路”倡议提出十周年。总的来说，您如何看待“一带一路”倡议？

**莫拉里斯：**希腊和比雷埃夫斯港在中国的“一带一路”倡议中都扮演着重要和突出的角色。比雷埃夫斯港是中国打造当代丝绸之路框架内的一个标志性项目。对中国而言，比雷埃夫斯是其出口欧洲的大门，中国显然不只是希望在比雷埃夫斯拥有强大的影响力。

2018年，希腊成为首个签署“一带一路”合作谅解备忘录的西方发达国家。（图源：中国外交部）

我认为这是一个雄心勃勃的计划，对两国都有好处。迄今为止，比雷埃夫斯港的发展已经证明，希腊和中国能够开展建设性合作，双方都能从中获得巨大利益。

观察者网：对于其他国家来说，即使是一些支持“一带一路”倡议的人也认为，与发展中国家相比，“一带一路”倡议对发达国家的吸引力和潜在经济贡献规模相对较小。作为比雷埃夫斯市长，您如何看待这些观点？发达国家如何更好利用“一带一路”倡议带来的机遇？

**莫拉里斯：**我认为，加强和发展中国与欧洲以及中国与希腊之间的双边关系，对各方都是有益的。希腊应该朝着这个方向采取主动行动，以努力进一步促进我们的出口，例如向中国出口希腊的优质农产品，因为中国市场广阔，而中国人对此类产品也有着浓厚的兴趣。

另一方面，中国科技产品在希腊的受欢迎程度也在持续快速增长，这是个可进一步大力发展的领域。除此之外，比雷埃夫斯港在专业技术、“蓝海”增长、文化和体育领域充当了中间人角色，连接中国与希腊，使双方互惠互利。

观察者网：“一带一路”不仅是经济上的合作，还是文化方面的交融。中希双方在比雷埃夫斯的文化合作上有哪些亮点？

**莫拉里斯：**正如我之前提到的，希腊和中国都有幸继承了数千年的丰富文化和历史遗产。尽管两国地理位置相距甚远，但这一共同点为两国人民的相互尊重发挥着至关重要的作用。通过以市政府和港口管理局名义开展的一系列“向外看”活动，中希两国正在逐步奠定坚实的基础，建立更紧密的双边关系，同时增进两国的相互理解，更深入地了解彼此的文化、历史和传统。

此外，在过去几年中，比雷埃夫斯与中国的一些城市通过达成“友好城市”关系而建立了密切关系。1985年，比雷埃夫斯就与上海结为友好城市。2018年与青岛结为友好城市后，双方在可持续和“蓝海”发展、创业、文化、旅游及体育等一系列共同关心的问题上，为更具建设性的合作开辟了新的前景和机遇。比雷埃夫斯与这些城市的结对，在很大程度上是通过市长和随行代表团的互访推动的。

观察者网：如何提高公众对这些文化合作的了解？

**莫拉里斯：**通过合作。比雷埃夫斯市政府一直与中国驻希腊雅典的大使馆和雅典中国文化中心保持建设性合作。我们还在比雷埃夫斯市剧院举办了多场中国文化活动，中国大使馆文化处也参与了比雷埃夫斯市的活动。

城市的对外开放性一直是我们的重点任务之一，我们欢迎旨在促进和交流思想，尤其是文化、旅游、金融、企业方面的外交合作。

6月21日，莫拉里斯出席中国公共外交协会、中国驻希腊大使馆、中远海运比雷埃夫斯港务局和雅典商务孔子学院联合举办的“仲夏端午中希文化交流节”活动

此外，除了经济方面的贡献，中远集团对比雷埃夫斯社会持续不断的支持和援助也令我非常高兴。我们与港口管理部门在这些问题上也开展了合作，目前双方的合作关系一直是建设性的，但我相信合作还能更上一层楼，将比雷埃夫斯市民和企业从港口发展中获得的经济增长收益最大化。

我们坚信，比雷埃夫斯水下古迹博物馆的建立将成为城市和港口的地标和参照点，我们还与港口管理局就港口内建立一个大型儿童公园达成了协议。此外，中远集团还与体育俱乐部合作开展捐赠和献爱心活动，以及代表港口管理局为比雷埃夫斯各地区儿童开展其他类似活动，这都进一步增进了比雷埃夫斯的社会繁荣。

以下为英文原文：

Guancha: Your mayorship largely coincided with COSCO management of Piraeus port. During that time, how has the port and the surrounding areas been transformed?

Moralis: It is true that Piraeus has changed to a large extent over the last years and this significant change is due to three primary factors: a. the port’s development as well as its expansion of activities and operations deriving from the concession agreement to COSCO b. our coordinated efforts, as the municipal authority, towards the direction of creating a conducive and investment - favorable environment within our city c. several other large-scale public investments, mainly in the transport sector, for instance the completion and proper operation of the metro line which connects our city to the Athens airport and has played a vital role in the increase of visitors’ mobility and access to Piraeus.

The investment having been implemented by the Chinese, state – owned COSCO company, which is rated among the largest foreign investments in our country during the past decades, has created strong stimuli for development prospects and opportunities accompanied by further investments. This has been evident over recent years during which, despite the financial and pandemic crisis, our city is constantly developing rapidly and vigorously, not only with regards to areas surrounding the port but in several other regions as well. More specifically, there are several large companies which have proceeded to investments and are operating in our city, a radical growth in the real estate sector and especially in relation to the provision of office space is taking place and in addition, the Central Administration is attaching particular value and importance to Piraeus’ development since it is the city which hosts our country’s largest port.  

Guancha: What’s your hope for the future?

Moralis: Since Piraeus has emerged as our country’s most crucial transport hub, I hold high expectations as to that it will develop to a “smarter” as well as more extrovert and innovative city, a status which accords with a large and modern port city. Furthermore, I hope that in the future our city’s constant development will be further aligned with societal needs concerning environmental protection and the improvement of residents’ quality of life. Besides, this is one of the main reasons for our continuous, coordinated and systematic work in order to reap the benefits of the port’s development as well as encounter the negative impact resulting from its operation in our city.

Guancha: What have been some challenges in smoothing out differences in cultures, business practices, organizational structure and legal systems? How have these differences been resolved or smoothed out?

Moralis**:** There are, indeed, several and consecutive challenges when a company proceeds to an investment in a foreign country and especially when the investment involves countries with significantly different cultures at administrative, working, and entrepreneurial level. However, compliance with the legislation is a prerequisite and absolutely essential, especially with regards to the administration of our country’s largest port as well as to a company whose country’s national interest is enormous. For the aforementioned reasons, the port’s concession by the Greek state to COSCO has taken place in accordance with the existing legislation and legal provisions, through which both rights and obligations arise for both contracting parties.

Guancha: What do you think of the fact that Piraeus port is now considered strategic and even referred to negatively as “China’s bridgehead in Europe”?

Moralis: Piraeus has always been a strategic port due to its geopolitical position between East and West. In antiquity and more specifically in the 5th century B.C., it used to function as the war- port of Athens. I am certain that this can be easily perceived by the Chinese since their country has an equally long ancient history as Greece. Moreover, Piraeus is the home of Greek shipping which holds the largest part of the world’s fleet. It is the city – cornerstone of shipping and tourism which constitute the major and strongest pillars of Greek economy. In recent years it has been transformed to a port of modern, high – standards being competitive to the largest ports worldwide and consolidating its position as a transport, trade, tourist and maritime center of crucial significance. It is, indeed, China’s bridgehead in Europe, nevertheless, I do not consider it to be an a priori negative feature.

Guancha: Some Western critics have compared Piraeus Port to Hambantota Port in Sri Lanka, which they claim to be an example of so-called “debt trap diplomacy”. What do you think of this comparison? What do you think of the “debt trap diplomacy” narrative?

Moralis: Piraeus port management’s take over has been voted by the majority of the Greek Parliament and supported by all Greek governments over the past years. It is true that the concession was implemented during a period when our country was in precarious financial situation, nevertheless, I do not believe that Greece which is a member-state of the European Union can or should be compared to Sri Lanka at a political or economic level. However, as the Mayor of Piraeus, I can elaborate on and answer to questions concerning our city’s issues. Municipality of Piraeus aims at reaping as many benefits as possible. For example all port municipalities receive compensatory fees for the port’s operation (with specific regard to the Municipality of Piraeus, the significant sum of 2,5 million euros per year is received), job creation, as well as the further development of the cruise industry which has already reinforced our city’s tourist promotion to a significant extent. At the same time, we constantly put all our efforts and pressure in all directions towards achieving the aim of mass compliance with the legislation on environmental, investment and other issues related to the extensive traffic congestion – a burden to both our city and its residents.

Guancha: This year is the tenth anniversary of the BRI. Broadly speaking, what do you think of the BRI? How do you think Westerners should view the BRI? What do you think are some ways to convince them to take a more positive view?

Moralis: Both Greece and Piraeus’ port play a crucial and prominent role in relation to the “One Belt – One Road” Chinese initiative. In its essence, it constitutes a landmark project within the framework of China’s efforts to create a modern “Silk Road”. For China, Piraeus is the entrance gate of its exports to Europe and obviously, China is trying to establish its powerful presence not only in Piraeus but also across the whole country. I consider it to be an ambitious strategic plan with accompanying benefits for both countries. So far, Piraeus port’s development has proven that Greece and China are able to cooperate constructively and both yield significant benefits.

Guancha: Even some who are sympathetic to BRI believe that it has less to offer to developed countries than developing countries. Given that you’re the Mayor overseeing Piraeus Port, what do you think of such arguments? How can developed countries take advantage of the opportunities offered by BRI?

Moralis: According to my opinion, the reinforcement and development of bilateral relations between China and Europe as well as between China and Greece can be proven to be beneficial for all the aforementioned parts. We, representing Greece, should take initiatives and decisions towards this direction, aiming to the further promotion of our exports - for instance exporting Greek agricultural products of high quality to China, since its market is vast and it is also widely known that there is intense Chinese interest for such products -. On the other hand, Chinese technological products’ popularity is constantly and rapidly increasing in Greece, which is a sector of significant further development. Nevertheless and besides all the aforementioned, China and Greece have already been mutually benefited through the unique opportunity offered by Piraeus’ port - which acts as the intermediary, the missing link – in the fields of expertise, blue growth, culture and sport.

Guancha: What are some of the brightest areas of bilateral cultural cooperation?

Moralis**:** As I have mentioned previously, Greece and China share the privilege of having inherited rich cultures and long – lasting histories over the centuries and this common feature plays a vital role in our peoples’ mutual respect despite the considerable geographic distance between them. Through a broad range of multiple extroversion initiatives on behalf of the Municipality as well as the Port’s Administration, our countries are gradually laying solid foundations with regard to reinforcing and establishing closer bilateral relations alongside with becoming acquainted more thoroughly with each other’s cultures, histories and traditions, within the framework of supporting our countries’ mutual understanding.

In addition, over the last years Piraeus has established close relations with certain Chinese cities through twinning schemes. Our city is twinned with the city of Shanghai since 1985 and also, Piraeus’ and Qingdao’s twinning has initiated new prospects and opportunities for an even more constructive cooperation regarding a series of issues of mutual concern, such as blue and sustainable development, entrepreneurship, culture, tourism and sport. Moreover, the twinning of Piraeus with those cities has been promoted to a large extent through mutual visits of’ Mayors and accompanying delegations.

Guancha: How can we improve public awareness of these efforts?

Moralis: Through cooperation. We as the Municipality of Piraeus’ authorities, have been maintaining constructive cooperation with both the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China and China’s Cultural Centre in Athens. We have also hosted several Chinese cultural events at the Municipal Theatre of Piraeus and the Cultural Department of the Chinese Embassy participates in our Municipality’s events, as well. Our city’s extroversion has been one of our primary priorities and we are open to and welcome synergies through diplomacy aiming at the promotion and exchange of ideas, activities to be implemented and experiences at cultural, tourist, financial or entrepreneurial level. Furthermore, besides financial growth, I am particularly pleased with COSCO’s constant and increasing support and assistance to Piraeus’ society. We cooperate with the port’s Administration on such issues, as well and even though our partnership has been constructive so far, I believe that it can improve further towards the direction of Piraeus’ citizens and enterprises benefiting at the utmost possible by the financial growth resulting from our port’s development. We firmly believe that the foundation of Piraeus’ Underwater Antiquities Museum will arise to a landmark and point of reference for both our city and the port and we have also proceeded to an agreement with the Port’s Administration concerning the creation of a large children’s park within the port’s premises. Piraeus’ social prosperity is also being reinforced through donations and offerings in cooperation with sports clubs as well as several other similar initiatives, on behalf of the Port’s Administration, towards the children of every region across Piraeus.

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