Top Chinese official vows to strengthen ties with Italy

Li Xi, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, meets with President of the Italian Senate Ignazio La Russa in Rome, Italy , October 1, 2017. On January 31, 2024, Mr. Li led a CPC delegation on an official goodwill visit to Italy from Wednesday to Saturday at the invitation of the Italian Senate. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei)

Senior Chinese official Li Xi met with Italian leaders this week to deepen strategic ties, marking the 20th anniversary of the China-Italy comprehensive strategic partnership and advancing cooperation in areas such as green energy and digital technology.

Li, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, met with Italian Senate President Ignazio La Russa and Vice President Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs. Antonio Tajani in Rome during his visit from Wednesday to Saturday at the invitation of the Italian Senate.

During the meetings, Li highlighted the enduring ties between China and Italy and called on both sides to advance the consensus reached by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in July.

Li emphasized cooperation through the “China-Italy Action Plan”, which aims to strengthen political trust and collaboration in existing and emerging sectors such as green energy, digital economy and technology. 'artificial intelligence. He also stressed the importance of strengthening people-to-people exchanges and multilateral coordination in multilateral arenas such as the United Nations and the Group of 20 (G20) to elevate China-Italy relations.

China and Europe share many common interests in upholding multilateralism, combating climate change and promoting global economic recovery, Li said, noting that China advocates resolving economic and relevant trade through consultations based on pragmatic and balanced principles.

He urged the Italian side to view China-EU economic and trade relations “with an open attitude and long-term perspective”, and play a constructive role in China-EU consultations and negotiations.

China is willing to work with Italy and other European countries to promote the healthy and stable development of China-EU relations, he noted.

Li also praised the successes of China's anti-corruption campaign, which has boosted public trust in the Party. China will continue to take a unique approach to fighting corruption, leveraging its institutional and legal strengths to create a system in which officials “do not dare, cannot and will not engage in corruption” , thus achieving governance that is both preventive and comprehensive, he said. .

China is committed to sharing governance knowledge and strengthening anti-corruption cooperation with other countries, including Italy, Li noted.

La Russa praised the historic friendship between Italy and China, hailing the CPC's achievements in Party building and China's modernization, affirming Italy's willingness to strengthen exchanges between legislative bodies and political parties.

Tajani highlighted China's role as a vital economic partner, noting that Italy hopes to strengthen economic and trade exchanges with China, thus fostering a balanced and mutually beneficial relationship. He reiterated Italy's commitment to pursuing open economic policies and actively working to resolve trade frictions between Europe and China through negotiations.

Italy also seeks to work with China to promote global peace and stability in the face of current challenges, he noted.

During his visit, Li also visited Venice to attend a cultural exchange event titled “Be a Contemporary Marco Polo, Build a New Bridge of Friendship”, commemorating the 700th anniversary of Marco's passing Polo.

Li Xi, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, meets with Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani in Rome , in Italy. , October 31, 2024. Mr. Li led a CPC delegation on an official goodwill visit to Italy from Wednesday to Saturday at the invitation of the Italian Senate. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei)

Li Xi, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, participates in a cultural exchange event titled “Be a Contemporary Marco Polo, build a New Friendship Bridge”, commemorating the 700th anniversary of the death of Marco Polo, in Venice, Italy, November 2, 2024. Mr. Li led a CPC delegation on an official goodwill visit to Italy from Wednesday to Saturday at the invitation of the Italian Senate (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei)