Interview: Former Italian senator sees robust potential for stronger Italy-China ties

The Star

a day ago

ROME, July 3 (Xinhua) -- Former Italian Senator Manuel Vescovi emphasized the potential for enhanced Italy-China cooperation in economic and cultural fields, describing such collaboration as "a gateway to tremendous opportunities."
In a recent interview with Xinhua, Vescovi, who served on Italy's Senate Foreign Affairs Committee from 2018 to 2022, urged Italian enterprises to engage with China's dynamic market proactively. "China's market is enormous and still expanding," he said, noting that China has remained Italy's largest Asian trade partner, with bilateral trade reaching 72.54 billion U.S. dollars in 2024.
Highlighting particular areas of opportunity such as renewable energy, automotive manufacturing, and agri-food exports, Vescovi said Italy's renowned expertise aligns well with China's market demands. Marking the 55th anniversary of China-Italy diplomatic relations in 2025, he underscored the historic cultural exchanges spanning over two millennia. "We should leverage these historical bonds to propel our partnership to new heights," he said.
Recent high-level visits, including those by Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to China, have led to a new three-year cooperation agreement through 2027, focusing on green technology, advanced manufacturing, and cultural exchanges.
Vescovi firmly believes in the value of grassroots diplomacy. "It's important to start from the local level rather than relying solely on high-level summits," he said.
As an example, he recently led a delegation from Grosseto, Tuscany, to Nanping in China's Fujian Province, initiating a sister-city partnership. During the visit, the two cities signed an agreement and hosted forums on trade, tourism, and education exchanges.
By June 2025, Italy and China had established 90 sister-city pairings, which Vescovi sees as essential platforms for tangible and consistent cooperation.
During his visit, Vescovi was particularly impressed by China's technological achievements, citing an advanced automobile factory capable of producing a car every 76 seconds as "an incredible engineering achievement." He also toured factories producing eco-friendly bamboo products, highlighting a Fujian-based company keen on opening a branch in Italy, a direct outcome of the sister-city relationship.
"Local partnerships foster concrete results through business matchmaking," he noted, emphasizing the need for sustained and consistent engagement.
Looking forward, Vescovi is optimistic about the future of Italy-China relations. He envisions scenarios where Italian cities like Grosseto become popular destinations for Chinese tourists, and Chinese tech startups collaborate with Italian artisans.
"China has so much to offer, and so do we," he remarked, emphasizing mutual learning opportunities. Specifically, he suggested that Italy could benefit from China's successful territorial marketing and sustainable practices, while China could leverage Italy's expertise in design, high-end manufacturing, and agri-food.
Stressing the importance of ongoing cultural exchanges alongside economic collaboration, Vescovi called for regular delegations, student exchanges, and joint cultural initiatives.
"Only by being culturally and economically open can we genuinely thrive together," he said, reflecting the enduring legacy of Marco Polo's historic journey, which continues to inspire the strengthening of contemporary Italy-China ties.