Italian Prime Minister in China on first official visit

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Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni arrived in Beijing on Saturday, Chinese state media reported, marking her first visit to the country since taking office almost two years ago.

He is scheduled to meet with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang during his five-day trip, with his priorities being to boost bilateral trade and end the war in Ukraine.

“Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni arrived in Beijing on the afternoon of July 27 for an official visit,” state television station CGTN reported in a post on social media site Weibo.

Meloni will seek to “revitalize bilateral relations in sectors of mutual interest,” an Italian official told AFP, requesting anonymity.

The talks will focus on “major international issues, starting with the war in Ukraine,” the official added.

The Meloni administration withdrew from China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) last year, being the only G7 country to sign it.

Before taking office, Meloni said joining the initiative – a cornerstone of Xi’s efforts to expand China’s influence abroad – was a “mistake.”

The non-binding memorandum of understanding between Italy and China included broad commitments on cooperation in the logistics, infrastructure, finance and environmental sectors.

But details were scarce and the lack of transparency fueled distrust among Italy’s allies.

ehl-bur-mca/sn