by Maria Spiliopoulou
ATHENS, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Greece has taken great interest in the ongoing deliberations at the annual session of China's National People's Congress (NPC), as the decisions made in Beijing this March will have a deep global impact, a Greek member of parliament (MP) told Xinhua in a written interview recently.
"The National People's Congress is one of China's key institutional pillars. Its work contributes decisively to China's social and economic progress and of course it has a very important international impact," said Anastasios Kourakis, first deputy speaker of the Hellenic parliament.
"Its composition, with universal representativeness from all over China, and its important institutional responsibilities make this institution central not only for the country itself, but also for the global governance system. In this context, the international impact of the National People's Congress is deep," he stressed.
In the Greek parliament, MPs have often expressed their particular interest in visiting the NPC and exchanging views with their Chinese colleagues, Kourakis said.
The amendments to China's Constitution, such as listing supervisory commissions as a state organ, are one of the main topics for this year's NPC session, Kourakis said.
"The creation of new institutions that improve the functioning and efficiency of the administration are always positive steps. Particularly in the field of institutional control, the creation of effective mechanisms can contribute decisively to the success of the policies implemented," he said.
Asked what has impressed him most in China's development in the last several years and its contribution to the development of the world, Kourakis referred to China's dynamic entry into the global high-tech products market.
The rapid development is also felt in Greece, where China's smart products and applications are among the most popular choices for Greek consumers, he noted.
According to the Greek lawmaker, visitors of the 2017 Thessaloniki International Fair, Greece's largest annual commercial exhibition, got a glimpse of advanced Chinese technology applications last September.
In this context, China has offered significant contributions to global technological development, Kourakis said.
As the friendship between Greece and China has flourished in recent years, Kourakis highlighted the significant role of the two countries' parliaments in maintaining cordial ties.
Parliamentary diplomacy is a pillar for the development of international relations, and Greece and China have worked methodically in this field, he said.
Greek MPs got the chance to interact with different political and state institutions of China last year, while the Hellenic parliament has received numerous Chinese delegations in past years, Kourakis told Xinhua.
"Continuous exchanges and cooperation in a wide range of policy areas have created a solid basis not only for common development, but also for the deepening of the very strong feelings between the two peoples," Kourakis said.
