by Maria Spiliopoulou
ATHENS, July 27 (Xinhua) -- The flags at all the facilities of Piraeus Port Authority (PPA) SA at Greece's largest harbor were waving halfway this week, as the Chinese-controlled company participated in the national mourning for the devastating fire that hit an eastern Attica coastal resort on Monday, causing at least 87 deaths, according to latest official figures on Friday.
"In this framework, as a small sign of solidarity, PPA SA will also offer money for relief efforts," a PPA SA press release read.
PPA SA managers told Xinhua on Friday that 20,000 euros (23,310 U.S. dollars) will be deposited to the special account which has been opened by the Greek finance ministry to raise funds for the fire-stricken Greek citizens.
PPA employees have also taken further initiatives to raise funds and donate blood to nearby Tzaneio hospital, they said.
An additional 10,000 euros will be donated by Piraeus Container Terminal (PCT), the other COSCO Shipping Corporation subsidiary which operates the port's container terminal in the past eight years, PCT managers told Xinhua.
The symbolic gesture highlights the strong friendship and excellent win-win cooperation between the Chinese investors and Greece in the past few years, according to the managers.
Since COSCO Shipping Corp invested at Piraeus taking over the management of the container terminal first and PPA two years ago after winning an international tender, Sino-Greek collaboration has achieved impressive results and changes to the port's image.
In difficult moments for Greece, the Chinese investors, as well as the entire Chinese community in Greece, have shown their solidarity with the Greek society, offering a helping hand.
Chinese living in Greece have collected earlier this week clothes and purchased medical supplies for the victims, have signed up as volunteers to assist or donated blood.
With 187 people injured during Monday's blaze, including a dozen hospitalized in critical conditions, doctors have appealed for blood donations and hundreds of people have queued at hospitals to help. (1 euro=1.16 U.S. dollars)
