By Renee Maltezou

ATHENS (Reuters) -China’s controlling stake in the Greek port of Piraeus, one of the largest in Europe, is not for sale, the Chinese embassy in Greece said, denouncing comments by newly appointed U.S. ambassador to Greece Kimberly Ann Guilfoyle.

China’s state-run COSCO, one of the country’s largest port and shipping conglomerates, holds a 67% stake in Piraeus port, a hub on the trade route connecting Europe, Africa and Asia. It finalised the purchase in 2016, at the height of Greece’s debt crisis.

The U.S. administration of Donald Trump is seeking to weaken China’s grip on global ports and has touted Greece as a European energy hub.

“It’s very important… to have American infrastructure here to help support the region, to perhaps in fact enhance output from other ports

See Full Page