Growth of Trade between Italy and China: An Untapped Potential

Trade between Italy and China has shown significant growth in recent years, doubling trade from 38 billion to 74 billion from 2016 to 2022. However, President Sergio Mattarella has highlighted that this value is still below the maximum potential. During a meeting with Premier Li Qiang in Beijing, Mattarella expressed the need to increase trade flow and rebalance import and export relations.

Mattarella stressed the importance of promoting Chinese investments in Italy, which in 2023 reached 15 billion, also encouraging Italian investors in China to further expand their activities.

A Strengthened Bilateral Collaboration

During the visit, the President found full harmony with President Xi Jinping, emphasizing a growing willingness to cooperate with each other. This period marks a crucial moment in bilateral relations, characterized by a collaborative political and commercial approach aimed at peace and multilateralism. Mattarella highlighted the importance of removing barriers that hinder the access of high-quality Italian products to the Chinese market, to meet the increasingly high expectations of Chinese consumers.

The President also stated that China is Italy’s first economic partner in Asia and that an open and transparent dialogue will stimulate new investments that will bring employment and growth of skills.

Towards a Future of Greater Integration

Concluding his speech, Mattarella expressed concern about protectionist tendencies in Europe, saying that Italy does not support such practices. He reiterated the importance of a fluid dialogue between Beijing and the European Union, in order to address complex issues that concern human dignity and universal rights.

Stressing the need for universal civil principles, Mattarella called for behaviors consistent with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, highlighting how these issues require a collective commitment from the international community. In this context, the relationship between Italy and China could evolve further, creating significant opportunities for both nations in the global economic landscape. The willingness to collaborate could open new paths towards a more prosperous and integrated future.