During his recent visit to China, President Sergio Mattarella stressed the importance of multilateralism and full harmony between Italy and China on crucial issues such as peace and economic relations. With Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continuing to worry the international community, Mattarella urged Beijing to use its influence on Vladimir Putin to contribute to a peaceful resolution of the conflict.
Mattarella asked China to take responsibility for the new world order that emerged from the diplomatic talks. The president highlighted how this visit represents a historic moment for bilateral relations, receiving appreciation from the Chinese authorities. For the President of the Republic, it was a rare opportunity to frankly express his positions, in particular regarding Chinese investments in Italy and the delicate issue of human rights.
In this context, the President said that friendship between the two peoples must also include constructive criticism, without it being perceived as interference. Another crucial point was the call to remove trade barriers that limit the access of Italian products to the Chinese market. In 2022, trade between Italy and China reached 73.9 billion euros, but Italian exports were only 16.4 billion, while imports exceeded 57.5 billion.
In his speech at Peking University, Mattarella called on China to use its authoritativeness to put an end to Russian aggression in Ukraine and to stop violence in the Middle East. He insisted that no one in Europe wants a new era of trade protectionism and called for a balance in trade relations.
“Reaffirming principles of human dignity is not interference”, underlined Mattarella, inviting reflection on behaviors consistent with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The visit ends with a clear request: that China not only becomes a protagonist on the international scene but does so respecting the principles of multilateralism. The hope is that Beijing can truly contribute to building a more peaceful and just future in the global context.
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