TIF-Helexpo chief outlines benefits of honored countries at trade fair

China, that vast Asian country of Confucius, Mao and modern-day communist capitalism, is the centerpiece of this year's Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF), which got under way this weekend in Greece's second largest city.

"Between September 9 and 17, the center of Thessaloniki will be transformed into a mini-Chinatown," says Tasos Tzikas, president of TIF-Helexpo.

More than 200 Chinese firms are showing at this year's event in a bid to bolster their presence in Greece. Meanwhile, the arrival of high-ranking government officials from Beijing underscores China's interest in expanding its presence beyond the port of Piraeus, now in the hands of Chinese shipping giant Cosco. Last week, China's Ambassador to Greece Zou Xiaoli visited Alexandroupoli, near the country's eastern border with Turkey, which is growing into a transport and energy hub.

"China places great...