An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 8, 2024 shows a partial view of the Shichengzi photovoltaic power station in Hami City, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)

China's Belt and Road Initiative and the European Green Deal offer a complementary framework that could facilitate more effective cooperation between China and Greece at the local level, said a mayor in Greece ahead of his visit to China. 

Konstantinos Michopoulos, mayor of Megalopolis in southern Greece, said on Monday that he looks forward to enhancing cooperation in green development with Chinese local governments, ahead of his visit to China.

He expressed an eagerness to exchange experiences and explore practical collaboration in areas such as renewable energy, smart agriculture, and green manufacturing. "We are ready to work hand in hand for a greener future," he said.

Michopoulos spoke to Xinhua ahead of the China-Central and Eastern European Countries Mayors Forum to be held in the city of Ningbo.

Located in the central Peloponnese region, Megalopolis has long served as one of Greece's energy hubs. As the country transitions away from coal in line with the European Union's carbon neutrality goals and its national "Just Transition" plan, the city is implementing a new urban development strategy focused on clean energy, low-emission agriculture and eco-tourism.

"We have initiated a special planning project to support our green transformation," Michopoulos said. "China's achievements in green energy and sustainable technology are impressive, and we hope to learn from and cooperate with Chinese cities."

He noted that Megalopolis is interested in forming sister-city relationships with Chinese municipalities.

"We welcome Chinese local governments to collaborate with us in establishing a China-Greece green cooperation platform," he said, adding that potential areas for joint projects include clean energy demonstration zones, cultural tourism integration and digital agriculture.

Michopoulos said China's Belt and Road Initiative and the European Green Deal offer a complementary framework that could facilitate more effective cooperation between China and Greece at the local level.

He also stressed the importance of youth engagement in sustainable development. "Long-term cooperation cannot succeed without the involvement of the younger generation," he said.

This photo taken on Sept. 13, 2023 shows an offshore wind farm in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province. (Xinhua/Yang Qing)

Georgios Kagklis, president of the Chinese-Hellenic Association for Economic and Cultural Development, will accompany Michopoulos to China. Kagklis said green development has become the central theme of China-Europe collaboration.

"Megalopolis, as a traditional energy city, is shifting toward a green and smart economy," said Kagklis. "We are no longer just talking about green development as a concept -- it is now a strategic direction."

Founded in 2014, the association aims to foster cooperation between Greece and China across economic, cultural, and technological fields. "Vision alone is not enough," Kagklis said. "We also need effective mechanisms and platforms to turn it into reality."

Michopoulos said the upcoming forum offers a timely opportunity to deepen bilateral cooperation.

"With the deep friendship between our two countries and our highly complementary strengths, local-level partnerships can become one of the most dynamic drivers of China-Greece relations," he said. "We hope this visit to Ningbo will bring new momentum and opportunity."