Growth of trade between Italy and China

In recent years, trade between Italy and China has shown signs of significant growth, doubling from 2016 to 2022, from 38 billion to 74 billion euros. This increase, however, also highlights a potential that is not yet fully exploited and the need for a rebalancing of import and export dynamics.

Observations on trade

President Sergio Mattarella recently discussed these opportunities during a meeting in Beijing with Premier Li Qiang. He highlighted two key points:

• The desire to increase the trade flow between the two countries.
• The importance of stimulating Chinese investments in Italy. Mattarella emphasized the growth of Italian investments in China, which reached 15 billion in 2023, expressing hope that Chinese investments in Italy can also grow rapidly.

According to the President, the potential remains below expectations and there is ample scope for future development.

Bilateral collaboration

During the meeting, Mattarella highlighted the growing harmony with President Xi Jinping. He noted a strong desire for mutual collaboration, underlining that this historic relationship is evolving in a current context that promotes:

• Peace.
• Multilateralism.
• Openness in economic relations. Furthermore, he recalled the recent visit of Prime Minister Meloni to China, considered an exceptional event due to the frequency of visits by Italian leaders to the Asian country. This underlines the strategic importance that Italy attributes to the development of relations with China.

Towards a promising future

With an already solid trade base and expanding political dialogue, the prospects for further investment and trade between Italy and China appear favorable. The willingness expressed by the leaders of the two countries suggests a clear direction towards deeper cooperation. In an increasingly interconnected world, bilateral economic relations not only strengthen national economies, but also contribute to establishing a more balanced and collaborative world order.