Chinese president aims to expand relations with Italy

21 Mar 2019

flagsWhen visiting Italy, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced that his country is prepared to strengthen its “global strategic partnership” with the eurozone’s third-largest economy, Reuters reports.

In an article shared in Corriere della Sera, Xi said: “With my visit I wish to set out together with Italian leaders the guidelines for bilateral relations and take them into a new era.”

Since Italy revealed plans of joining China’s Belt and Road initiative, the United States and euro zone partners have expressed concerns over the matter.

Italian leaders answered by pointing out that there were no binding obligations and further cooperation between Beijing and Rome was not guaranteed.

However, Xi revealed China was planning to also strengthen ties with Italy over international issues such as climate change, saying: “Italy is open to consolidating communications and synergies with Italy within the United Nations, the G20, the ASEM and the WTO.”

The Chinese President went on to say that the two countries could also potentially cooperate in sectors such as ports, shipping, telecoms and pharmaceuticals.