At the 2025 G20 Summit in Johannesburg this past weekend, Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni met on the sidelines to reinforce a two-way opening up initiative aimed at elevating bilateral ties on multiple fronts.
“China is ready to strengthen the alignment of development strategies with Italy,” Li said, highlighting plans to build a more stable and productive comprehensive strategic partnership. The core goals include:
- Deepening market and industry connectivity to foster balanced trade growth.
- Expanding market access for Italian companies through major platforms such as the China International Import Expo and the China International Supply Chain Expo.
- Encouraging Italy to maintain a fair, transparent business environment for Chinese enterprises.
Beyond commerce, Li urged stepped-up people-to-people exchanges in tourism, education, sports and youth programs. “We want to facilitate cross-border travel and deepen mutual understanding between our societies,” he noted.
On multilateralism, both leaders pledged cooperation within the United Nations and the G20 framework to build consensus and reinforce international institutions. Their commitment comes amid global economic shifts where joint leadership can bolster confidence in open, rules-based systems.
Prime Minister Meloni welcomed China’s overtures and pointed to the upcoming 55th anniversary of diplomatic ties as a catalyst for accelerating joint initiatives. She emphasized mechanisms like the Italy-China Government Committee and the Italy-China Joint Economic Commission to drive action plans in trade, investment, science, technology and cultural exchange.
The meeting capped a weekend of high-level engagement, with Italy inviting more Chinese companies to invest locally and encouraging Italian firms to explore opportunities in China. Both sides left Johannesburg with a shared pledge to deepen cooperation and champion multilateralism in a shifting global landscape.
Reference(s):
Chinese premier pledges to promote two-way opening up with Italy
cgtn.com
