English: Maps shows a group of countries known as the PIGS (Portugal, Italy, Greece, Spain), shown in #FF0000. Since 2009, Ireland (#CC6666) and the United Kingdom (#CC9999) have been suggested as members, creating PIIGS or PIIGGS, the additional “G” standing for Great Britain. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Not only are the Chinese coming to the Eastern Mediterranean as Dr Alf suggests but they are already there.
During the financial crisis, the Chinese bought several Greek islands and helped Greece with some of its debts, whilst Germany and other European countries saw them as part of the PIIGS problem.
CNOC will want to tap into the huge oil and gas deposits off and probably in Cyprus, and they want a warm weather port in the West to break out of the shackles, as they see it, of Western encirclement.
Dr Alf's Blog 