ATHENS –With many countries upset with China over a number of issues, Greece will not walk away from more business with China – the Chinese company COSCO operates the port of Piraeus – and more investments are being sought.

Greece’s permanent representative to NATO Spiros Lambridis that even European Union sanctions imposed on China for human rights violations aren't enough to deter trade and business, which trumps that problem.

The G-7 group of developed nations said it would will call on China to “respect human rights and fundamental freedoms,” a tactic that has never worked and only drawn Chinese ire and a warning to butt out.

“We strategically opt for the best possibilities for our own country, again always within our obligation with the main organizations, which is the EU and NATO. Thus, so far, we have joined the Belt and Road initiative in a very concrete project and in a very concrete term, not looking at that as a strategic relationship with another partner, but certainly we are not going to abandon it, just because others do,” said Lambridis.

The global Belt and Road infrastructure plan is designed to create a vast global network of land, sea and digital connections linking China with Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Africa, the site noted.

China wants to use Piraeus as a gateway to the EU and has plans to improve rail connections that have Greece isolated from other countries and the New Democracy government wants even more business from China and Chinese companies, with flights now operating between the countries directly as well now.