During talks in Beijing on Monday during her five-day visit to China, premier Giorgia Meloni underlined the importance of maintaining "open dialogue" channels with "a high-profile economic, commercial and cultural partner".
"China is a major economic, trade, cultural partner for us," Meloni told president Xi Jinping during talks.
Meloni's first visit to China coincides with the 20th anniversary of our strategic partnership, which clearly defines the level of our cooperation," she went on.
"Perhaps even more importantly," Meloni's trip also comes on the 700th anniversary of (Venetian traveller and merchant) Marco Polo's death, Meloni said.
"It is an anniversary that defines the antiquity, the depth of our relations, of the relations between two civilizations that are heirs to cultures that date back thousands of years," she said.
The longevity of Italy and China's ties are "very important, especially in the period we live in," Meloni underlined.
"The best way to celebrate these two anniversaries is to keep that channel that was started precisely 700 years ago by Marco Polo open, to foster economic, trade, cultural and scientific ties, but also multilateral dialogue in these very complex times," Meloni continued.
"The world around us is changing, she added.
