ATHENS, April 6 (Xinhua) -- The Greek government wants to boost education cooperation with China, especially between universities of the two countries, said Greece's Education Minister Marietta Yiannakou.

    Yiannakou told Xinhua ahead of a visit to China that she would sign a cooperation agreement with the Chinese Education Ministry during her stay in Beijing in a bid to push forward bilateral education exchanges and cooperation.

    The Greek government has decided to set up a university accepting overseas students in the northern city of Thessaloniki, where classes would be given in English and Chinese students were welcome to study there, she said.

    She added that the Greek government was drafting an amendment to the constitution, which would lift a ban on privately-funded universities. It was expected that there would be qualified private-owned universities in the country in three years, enabling more Chinese students to study in Greece, she added.

    The minister said she would also promote Greece's Olympic education programs to Chinese people, including dissemination of knowledge on the Olympic games, its tradition and spirits. Enditem