On April 8, with active coordination and facilitating by YGL and its partner University of Patras, the video exchange meeting between Fujian Province and Region of Western Greece was successfully held. Many personages attended and addressed at the meeting, including Guo Ningning, Member of the Standing Committee of Fujian Provincial Party Committee and Executive Vice Governor, and Mr Fokion Zaimis, Deputy Governor of Region of Western Greece, attended the meeting.

The participants include You Side, Deputy Secretary General of Fujian Provincial Government, Chen Chuxin, Director of Fujian Foreign Affairs Office, Wang Yang, Deputy Director of Fujian’s Department of Education, Lin Shouqin, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture and Tourism of Fujian Province, Wu Fei, the second-level inspector of the Provincial Department of Commerce, and representatives from Region of Western Greece.

Professor Wei Jiangang, Vice President of Fujian University of Technology, and Professor Mantzavinos, Vice-rector of University of Patras attended the meeting and shared the experience of communication and cooperation between the two universities. Luo Guansheng, Member of Fujian Foreign Affairs Office Party Group and Vice President of Fujian Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, presided over the meeting.

On behalf of the Party Committee and the Government of Fujian Province, Guo Ningning extended sincere greetings to the guests, introduced Fujian's economic and social development, and put forward suggestions on the future co-partnership between Fujian and Region of Western Greece. She said that under the framework of China-Greece comprehensive strategic partnership and China-CEEC cooperation mechanism, Fujian Province is willing to maintain close and friendly exchanges with Region of Western Greece, and strengthen connections in economy and trade, education, port and shipping, cultural tourism, and sister cities, in the hope of benefiting people of both regions, and opening a new chapter of friendship and collaboration between two places. Executive Vice Governor Guo specially mentioned about the education cooperation between Fujian University of Technology and University of Patras, wishing more HEIs in Fujian Province could establish collaborative relationship with universities in the Region of Western Greece.

Deputy Governor Mr Fokion Zaimis expressed that over the past 40 years of China's reform and opening up, especially under the leadership of President Xi, the achievements have been tremendous and admirable, and China's development pattern is worthy of promotion and reference. And then he introduced the general situation of Region of Western Greece, and expected that Fujian and Region of Western Greece could establish friendly relations, with the aim to jointly expand cooperation and exchanges in various fields such as economy and trade, education, and cultural tourism. Deputy Governor Mr Fokion Zaimis warmly invited Executive Vice Governor Guo Ningning to visit Region of Western Greece with an delegation of government and business from Fujian, to discuss in face about the all-rounded cooperation opportunities.

At the meeting, the Department of Education, the Department of Commerce and the Department of Culture and Tourism, respectively introduced Fujian's current cooperation with foreign countries in education, economy and trade, culture and tourism, as well as future cooperation plans between two places. Fujian University of Technology summarized their cooperation plan with University of Patras and their next step. Then the relevant departments of Region of Western Greece illustrated their economy, culture, tourism, education and foreign cooperation. Besides, the vice-president of University of Patras and other related departments also demonstrated their plan in inter-university cooperation and expressed their willingness and determination to further promote the exchanges and cooperation on education and scientific research between the two universities, based on the joint teaching institution under construction.

This video meeting is the first online meeting between the leaders of Fujian and Region of Western Greece, which has laid a good foundation for future exchanges between the two regions. This year coincides with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Greece, and the two countries’ friendly cooperation is ushering in new opportunities. Next, under the framework of "Belt and Road", Fujian Province will continue to deepen exchanges and cooperation between two sides in various fields, promote the early signing of the letter of intent for the establishment of friendly relations, and drive the communication among Fuzhou and Patras and other cities under their jurisdiction. The focus will be put on expanding the cooperation programs between the universities of two cities and the "Silk Road Maritime" cooperation between port channel and coastal engineering, to achieve common development and better benefit the two peoples.