Published November 23,2025

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China expressed its readiness to work with Italy to “continuously promote two-way opening up,” state-run Xinhua news agency reported on Sunday.

Beijing is “willing to enhance connectivity and synergy with the Italian side in markets and industries, and promote optimized and balanced development of bilateral trade,” Chinese Premier Li Qiang said in a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on the margins of the G20 leaders’ summit in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Li expressed China’s readiness to “strengthen alignment of development strategies” with Italy and forge a “more stable and fruitful comprehensive strategic partnership.”

He also pledged greater access for Italian companies to the Chinese market via expos and other platforms.

“China also expects Italy to provide a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese enterprises to invest in Italy,” Li added.

For her part, Meloni said that during the meeting, the two leaders agreed on the importance of maintaining a constructive dialogue in all areas of mutual interest.

She wrote on US social media company X that the two sides discussed ways to promote the balanced development of trade and reciprocal investments.

In 2019, Italy became the only member of the Group of Seven nations to join China’s Belt and Road Initiative, but exited the global infrastructure development project in 2023.

The China-Italy bilateral trade volume has climbed to over $80 billion.