China's foreign minister Wang Yi has hailed Chinese investment in the port of Piraeus as he kicked off his European tour on Wednesday in Greece. 

He met with Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Foreign minister Nikos Dendias to discuss a range of topics, from investments and security, to tourism and culture.

Minister Wang pledged to boost cooperation between the two nations, with three key messages for both Greeks and people across the EU: The spread of the Olympic spirit, more investment and continued cultural connections between China and Europe.

"We'd like to continue our connection with Europe and the investment at the Piraeus Port is part of the hard work we have put in building our ties and in the BRI,"  Wang Yi said. 

"The investment has created many opportunities for Greece, but also created many job openings for locals as it became the largest port in the Mediterranean. This project is an example of our good relationship."

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Following talks with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Wang Yi met with foreign minister Nikos Dendias.

Neighbors Greece and Turkey are divided over a long series of disputes, including exploitation rights in the eastern Mediterranean, which have led to a severe escalation of tensions in recent years. Athens has been seeking to shore up international support for its positions against Turkey.

Dendias also stressed how that dispute could compromise China's Belt and Road flagship European hub project - Greece's Port of Piraeus.

"I had the chance to inform my Chinese counterpart about the worrying developments in the east Mediterranean, the instability role Turkey is playing in the area. Of course this area is thousands of kilometers away from China, but the instability in the area hold many worries and dangers for Chinese shipping and the development of global shipping, something that is very important for China," according to Dendias.

The meeting followed a ceremony where Greece's privatizations agency transferred an additional 16 percent stake in Piraeus Port to Chinese shipping giant COSCO - giving it 67 percent ownership. 

Foreign Minister Wang Yi called it an 'emblematic' project within the Belt and Road Initiative -- a model for mutually beneficial cooperation - and a further step towards closing the gap between East and West.

Cover picture: Reuters/Louiza Vradi