Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni recently embarked on a significant visit to China, marking her first trip to the country since assuming office nearly two years ago. The visit, which began on Saturday, aims to "relaunch" the bilateral relationship between Italy and China, following the strain caused by Italy’s exit from Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) late last year.
On Monday, Meloni met with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing. This meeting, broadcast live by AFP TV, was a pivotal moment in her visit, signifying a commitment to mend and strengthen ties between the two nations. Meloni’s visit followed a productive meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Sunday, during which she expressed her intent to revitalize bilateral cooperation.
A key outcome of the talks was the signing of a joint Italy-China action plan. This agreement underscores the importance of ensuring that commercial relationships between the two countries are both balanced and mutually beneficial. The document outlines a commitment to fair competition and free trade, emphasizing that companies from both nations should operate on equal terms.
During the discussions, Li Qiang highlighted China’s desire to advance relations with Italy in a “more mature and stable direction,” as reported by Chinese state news agency Xinhua. This sentiment reflects China’s broader objective to foster deeper and more sustainable partnerships with its international counterparts.
The backdrop to this visit is Italy’s decision to withdraw from the Belt and Road Initiative in December, having been the only G7 nation to initially endorse it. Before taking office, Meloni had criticized the initiative, viewing Italy’s involvement as a “mistake.” The non-binding memorandum of understanding Italy had signed with China under the BRI had promised broad cooperation in areas like logistics, infrastructure, finance, and the environment. However, the lack of specific details and transparency led to growing mistrust among Italy’s allies.
As Meloni works to rebuild and redefine Italy’s relationship with China, the visit underscores a pivotal moment in both nations’ diplomatic and economic engagements.