Greece and China: Bridging Two Worlds – The ‘Greek Twins’ Speak to TNH

BEIJING – It all began almost by chance – an unexpected choice, a language that seemed foreign, a distant country. From a spontaneous decision at age 18 to millions of viewers and a life split between Greece and China, the journey of the ‘Greek Twins’, identical twins Marianna and Sofia Erotokritou, is not just a story of adaptation – it is a story of translation: of people, habits, and dreams.

The National Herald: Starting from the beginning, when did you go to China and what made you choose such a distant Asian country?

Greek Twins: We moved to China at the age of 18 to study. The truth is, it wasn’t something we had planned years in advance. It came about somewhat unexpectedly in our final year of high school, when we began learning Chinese at our father’s encouragement. From that point on, things developed naturally. We applied for a scholarship through the Chinese embassy. We liked the language and culture so much that we wanted to prepare better and experience it firsthand.

TNH: What impressed you most about China, and how easy was your adjustment?

Greek Twins: If we had to single out one thing, it would definitely be the people. Even though we were thousands of kilometers away from home, we felt an incredible sense of familiarity. Chinese people are truly very hospitable if they take a liking to you. In our first year, when we were still struggling with the language, our supervising professor at Nanjing University took care of us as if we were her own children, while her mother brought us warm food every day. Holidays, meals, moments… we shared everything with them. In essence, they became our second family.

We wouldn’t say we had any serious difficulties. Perhaps the only thing that still feels a bit…strange is some of the food and the fact that they eat very early. But we got used to certain things – or at least we tried!

TNH: You stayed in China for seven years and now move between Greece, Cyprus, and China. What were you doing then and what are you doing now?

Greek Twins: When we went to China for studies, we quickly realized that most people didn’t have a clear picture of modern Greece and Cyprus. So we simply started creating content on Chinese social media, at first casually and as amateurs.

The fact that we spoke the language helped tremendously, and success came faster than we expected. Initially, we collaborated with the platform NetEase and did live streams focused on tourism and cultural content aimed at promoting Greece-China relations. Then we expanded to Chinese platforms like Douyin, Bilibili, and WeChat. Some of our live streams reached up to 600,000 views.

We collaborated with various municipalities in Greece as well as the Greek National Tourism Organization to produce content in Chinese. A notable example is the GNTO China campaign on the Chinese platform Weibo (similar to Facebook), which included our video promoting Astypalaia. The campaign hashtag reached over 210 million views and 211,000 reposts.

In December 2025, one of our videos about the Ikaria diet was broadcast by the Chinese TV channel PHOENIX TV, reaching 125 million viewers worldwide.

Recently, we have started doing the reverse, presenting China to European audiences, which has gained strong traction, especially now that more Greeks are traveling there.

During the Covid period, we created free online videos teaching the Greek language. The project was quite successful, at one point reaching 2,000 Chinese students.

Professionally today, we are involved in attracting foreign investment in the real estate sector in Greece and Cyprus.

TNH: As ambassadors of Greek tourism in China from 2021-2025, what image do Chinese people have of Greece?

Greek Twins: Chinese visitors to Greece are estimated at around 130,000-150,000 annually, with an upward trend after the pandemic.

The image is generally very positive. In the minds of Chinese people, Greece is associated with ancient civilization, philosophy, democracy, and iconic images such as the Acropolis and Santorini. Greeks are seen as warm and hospitable people, which resonates strongly with them.

However, there is another side. Many Chinese also see Europe as a destination for luxury shopping, and in that regard Greece is not as competitive as countries like France or Italy. There are also issues such as language and infrastructure that are not always adapted to Asian visitors. But this shows there is significant room for growth.

TNH: Did you have contact with the Greek community in China?

Greek Twins: The Greek community in China is relatively small. We mostly had contact with Greek students who came to learn the language, especially at our university. Most of them stayed one or two years and then returned to Greece.

TNH: You have baptized several children from China. How did that come about?

Greek Twins: It happened very naturally. These are mainly Chinese families living in Greece who want to integrate more meaningfully into society. When we told them about baptism, they really liked the idea of their children becoming Orthodox, especially since they intend to stay permanently. For them, it’s a way to connect with Greek culture and tradition.

TNH: If someone wants to travel to China for the first time, which places would you definitely recommend?

Greek Twins: Definitely Beijing, because you truly feel the country’s historical depth there, with iconic landmarks like the Great Wall and the Forbidden City. Shanghai, on the other hand, is the ultimate contrast – a modern, impressive metropolis that shows China’s present and future. And if someone wants something more ‘authentic’, the Sichuan region is unique, both for its culture and its cuisine (if you can handle spicy food!).

TNH: In closing, would you like to send a message about Greece-China relations?

Greek twins: At first, it may seem like we’re talking about two completely different worlds, but when you live there, you realize there are many shared values. Both peoples have deep history and strong cultural identity. That ultimately brings us closer than we think.

More about the twins and their work can be found on their website www.greektwins.com, as well as on social media – on Instagram as greek_twins and on TikTok, where they share daily moments and experiences from their life between two cultures.