Eleftherios Oikonomou: Helping each other in times of need

For Eleftherios Oikonomou, few experiences illustrate the strong bond between China and Greece better than the evacuation of Chinese citizens from Libya during the 2011 crisis. Then chief of the Hellenic Police, Oikonomou played a key role in coordinating their safe arrival and temporary stay in Greece. More than a decade later, he looks back on the operation as a defining example of China-Greece friendship, one that he believes continues today through both state-level cooperation and people-to-people ties.

Eleftherios Oikonomou, former chief of the Hellenic Police, sits for an interview with People's Daily Online. (Photo/Patrick Shead-Simmonds)

At the height of the crisis, Oikonomou was given responsibility for coordinating the safe and rapid reception of Chinese citizens arriving in Greece. He worked closely with staff at the Chinese Embassy in Athens to identify evacuees and process their entry into the country, while flights were organized for their return to China. Ultimately, around 13,000 Chinese citizens were transferred from Libya to Crete as part of what became the largest overseas evacuation in the history of the People's Republic of China.

"It really was a difficult operation," he said. "But as the ancient Greeks used to say: a friend does not abandon friends in times of danger." What remains particularly vivid to Oikonomou is the cooperation of the Chinese evacuees, their attachment to their homeland and their appreciation for the assistance they received in Greece.

Oikonomou's cooperation with China began several years earlier, around the time of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. As China prepared to host the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008, Greek and Chinese security authorities exchanged expertise and experience. As a senior officer of the Hellenic Police, Oikonomou worked extensively with his Chinese counterparts, sharing lessons from Greece's experience of hosting the Games. He continued to support cooperation between the two countries during his time as minister for citizen protection from 2019 to 2023, helping to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the field of security and address issues concerning Chinese citizens living and working in Greece.

For Oikonomou, these experiences point to something deeper in the relationship between the two countries. He sees the cooperation between Greece and China as connected to their histories as ancient civilizations, represented by Aristotle in the West and Confucius in the East. He believes values such as a shared appreciation of peace continue to shape both countries and their people.

"As civilizations that go back thousands of years, we need to continue this cultural heritage and contribute to the betterment of humanity as a whole," he said.

Over the years, Oikonomou's connections with China have also extended beyond his professional life. He has traveled widely in the country, while his daughter completed postgraduate studies at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing and now works with Chinese businesses. The connection has even reached another generation, with his grandson learning Chinese and kung fu.

For Oikonomou, his family's experience reflects a broader change he has observed in Greece. "Many Greeks, particularly young people, now participate in Chinese-language learning and exchange programs between Greek and Chinese universities," he said.

Alongside these growing people-to-people connections, Oikonomou also points to the strengthening of relations at the state and economic levels. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Greece-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which he sees as an important foundation for relations between the two countries. Recalling a difficult period for the Greek economy, he described Chinese investment in the Port of Piraeus as an important symbol of the developing economic relationship. "China supports Greece on its national issues, and Greece supports China as well," he said.

For Oikonomou, today's geopolitical uncertainties make cooperation between countries even more important. He believes such relationships should rest on peace, mutual respect and open dialogue, and hopes China-Greece cooperation will continue to expand in areas ranging from shipping to education and culture. "We all need the help of each other to achieve progress," he said.