East China's Shandong province formally established sister-province relations with Greece's Ionian Islands region in May 2026, marking Shandong's first Greek sister province. The partnership was established during the seventh China–CEEC Local Leaders' Meeting and 2026 Shandong International Friendship Cities Cooperation and Exchange Week.

Shandong enterprise representatives talk with the Greek delegation at the matchmaking exchange session during the seventh China–CEEC Local Leaders' Meeting and 2026 Shandong International Friendship Cities Cooperation and Exchange Week. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The timing aligns with the 20th anniversary of the China–Greece comprehensive strategic partnership. Ionian Islands Deputy Governor Savas Koulouris led a delegation to Shandong in May, culminating in the signing of the friendship agreement.

China and Greece have already built a solid foundation for cooperation. Shandong's Tai'an and Corfu, one of the Ionian Islands, have been sister cities since 2006. More recently in 2025, the Hellenic Sinology Center in Corfu, which is the first academic hub of its kind in the European Union, has showcased over 100 Shandong intangible cultural heritage works, and Shandong's university delegation has reached cooperation agreements with Ionian University on student exchanges and Chinese language promotion.

Future cooperation will focus on trade, tourism, cultural exchanges, and agriculture, with plans to promote tourism routes linking Shandong's mountains with the Ionian Islands and strengthen educational and youth exchanges through the Hellenic Sinology Center.