According to a report from the BBC, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has embarked on a five-day visit to China, aiming to revitalize bilateral relations. The visit comes in the wake of Italy's withdrawal from China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) last year.
During her trip, Meloni met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and signed a three-year plan to enhance economic cooperation between the two nations. The Italian Prime Minister expressed her intention to "begin a new phase" and "relaunch bilateral cooperation".
The report mentions that Italy and China have agreed to boost cooperation in various sectors, including electric vehicles and renewable energy. Premier Li's office released a statement indicating plans to increase "mutually beneficial cooperation" in fields such as shipbuilding, aerospace, new energy, and artificial intelligence, particularly among small and medium-sized enterprises.
Italy was previously the only major Western nation to join the BRI, a decision that drew criticism from the United States and other Western countries. Since taking office in 2022, Meloni has shifted towards a more pro-Western and pro-NATO foreign policy stance.
Alicia Garcia-Herrero, chief economist for the Asia Pacific region at investment bank Natixis, commented on the situation, suggesting that Meloni's approach allows Italy to engage with China "less as a vassal and more as a partner".
The article also highlights recent actions taken by Italy under Meloni's leadership, including efforts to prevent a Chinese state-owned company from taking control of tyre manufacturer Pirelli and support for European Commission tariffs on Chinese electric vehicle imports.
China remains Italy's largest non-EU trading partner after the United States, with two-way trade reaching 66.8 billion euros (£56.3bn) in the previous year.
