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The Star
03-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
Interview: Former Italian senator sees robust potential for stronger Italy-China ties
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.
The Print
04-06-2025
- General
- The Print
All-party delegation concludes 3-day visit to Spain, highlights India's zero tolerance to terrorism
'The delegation concluded its visit having effectively communicated India's strategic approach and firm message of zero tolerance towards terrorism to Spanish government leaders, lawmakers, civil society and the Indian diaspora, strengthening bilateral ties and mutual understanding,' the Indian embassy in Madrid said in a statement on Tuesday. The group, led by DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, is one of the seven multi-party delegations India had tasked to visit 33 global capitals to reach out to the international community to emphasise Pakistan's links to terrorism. Madrid : An all-party Indian delegation has concluded its three-day visit to Spain after conducting a series of meetings with government officials and civil society representatives to highlight India's 'zero-tolerance' stance against terrorism and rally global support. On Monday, the delegation met members of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee led by Vice President Antonio Gutierrez Limones. It also held a separate meeting with Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares. In engagements with the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, the delegation stressed that as the world's fourth-largest economy, 'India remains committed to peace, but not at the cost of its sovereignty,' read the statement. It said the meeting aimed to reinforce India's call to 'dismantle cross-border terror infrastructure and end the distinction between terrorists and their enablers'. In a call on Albares, the delegation provided a comprehensive overview of India's approach to countering terrorism. 'Albares conveyed his understanding and conveyed his understanding and the unequivocal support of Spain for India's efforts to combat terrorism and reaffirmed the importance of global peace,' the statement said, adding that he emphasised that 'terrorism will never prevail and that Spain stood with India in this issue.' The delegation, also comprising MPs Rajeev Rai, Captain Brijesh Chowta, Premchand Gupta and Ashok Kumar Mittal, visited the Association of Victims of Terrorism, an organisation that supports over 4,800 victims of terrorism. They reaffirmed India's unwavering determination to eliminate terrorism in all its forms. 'The delegation also emphasised India's diplomatic initiatives aimed at promoting a principled, consistent and coordinated global response to terrorism,' the statement said. The group also engaged in dialogue with intellectuals, think tanks and representatives from civil society at a discussion hosted by the Spain-India Council Foundation. Delegation members stressed India's 'staunch resolve to combat terrorism and commitment to peace'. They also interacted with members of the Indian diaspora. 'The visit of All-Party Parliamentary Delegation to Spain was successful in effectively conveying India's zero-tolerance approach to terrorism to government leaders, lawmakers, civil society and the Indian diaspora- strengthening bilateral ties and mutual understanding,' the embassy said in a separate X post. Its visit was part of India's broader outreach with key international partners to build an international alliance for cooperation in addressing terrorism. Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after the Pahalgam terror attack, with India carrying out precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in the early hours of May 7. Pakistan attempted to attack Indian military bases on May 8, 9, and 10. The Indian side responded strongly to the Pakistani actions. The on-ground hostilities ended with an understanding of stopping the military actions following talks between the directors general of military operations of both sides on May 10. PTI RUK GRS GRS GRS This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content. Also read: Tharoor's all-party delegation to face Pakistani counterparts in Washington DC
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Van Hollen slams Rubio in contentious exchange over deportations and Abrego Garcia
Secretary of State Marco Rubio returned to the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday, appearing before his former colleagues for the first time since his confirmation to defend the president's foreign policy and the administration's budget priorities for the year ahead. Rather than a warm homecoming, Rubio was quickly on defense, with several Senate Democrats pressing the secretary on the State Department's reorganization and spending cuts, as well as Middle East policy and El Salvador detentions. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., spent much of his allotted time criticizing Rubio on a number of issues, including his coziness with El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele and the Trump administration's failure to "facilitate" in returning Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a migrant who was erroneously deported to El Salvador, to the United States. Abrego Garcia was living in Maryland at the time he was deported. "In the case of El Salvador, absolutely, absolutely, we deported gang members, gang members -- including the one you had a margarita with. And that guy is a human trafficker, and that guy is a gang banger, and that and the evidence is going to be clear," Rubio asserted, referring to Van Hollen meeting with Abrego Garcia in El Salvador in April. MORE: Van Hollen describes dramatic meeting with Abrego Garcia in El Salvador upon return to US "Mr. Chairman, he can't make unsubstantiated comments like that," Van Hollen protested. "Secretary Rubio should take that testimony to the federal court of the United States because he hasn't done it under oath!" Van Hollen has said neither man drank from the glasses that he said officials put on the table during the meeting that appeared to have liquid inside with salt or sugar rims. "No judge and the judicial branch cannot tell me or the president how to conduct foreign policy," Rubio shot back. "No judge can tell me how I have to outreach to a foreign partner or what I need to say to them, and if I do reach that foreign partner and talk to them, I have under no obligation to share that with the judiciary branch. Diplomacy doesn't work that way." "You're just blowing smoke now," Van Hollen said. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch, R-Idaho, had to intervene in the at-times contentious conversation as Van Hollen compared Rubio's policy on deportations and the El Salvador detentions of migrants to the "shameful era" of McCarthy-era witch hunts and the red scare, saying the administration's "campaign of fear and repression is eating away at foundational values of our democracy." "Back then, it took one voice, attorney Joseph Welch, to cut through the hysteria with a simple question that marked the beginning of the end of that shameful era: 'Have you no sense of decency?'" Van Hollen said as he concluded his line of questioning. "And I would ask you the same, Secretary Rubio. You have shown, with your words and your actions what your answer is. I have to tell you directly and personally that I regret voting for you as secretary of state." Van Hollen slams Rubio in contentious exchange over deportations and Abrego Garcia originally appeared on
