Roundup: Milan celebrates 45th anniversary of Sino-Italian diplomatic ties

The 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Italy, along with the foundation of the Italy-China Chamber of Commerce, was celebrated here Thursday with a conference attended by authorities and companies from the two countries.

The establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Italy on Nov. 6, 1970 was "an event of historical significance," said Pier Luigi Streparava, President of the Milan-based association.

The Chinese and Italian productive worlds, he noted, have always believed in the importance of collaboration, to the point that the Italy-China Chamber of Commerce was founded a month before that date.

Over the course of years, Streparava went on saying, bilateral relations have increasingly developed and are now living a golden season. Just think that bilateral trade has increased 400-fold from 120 million U.S. dollars in 1970 to nearly 50 billion U.S. dollars last year.

Amid the continuously improving ties, the association has recently extended its attention from Italian companies wanting to invest in China to Chinese companies wanting to invest in Italy, Streparava noted. "We can say that we have become a mixed association, also introducing Chinese members into our board of directors," he said.

Chinese Ambassador to Italy Li Ruiyu highlighted that Sino-Italian relations have always been at the forefront of China-European partnerships. This was not only due to mutual admiration of the two millenary civilizations, but was also based on the sound and beneficial collaboration in various sectors.

In latest years, Italy has invested in over 5,000 projects in China. Meanwhile, more than 100 Chinese firms have established their headquarters in Italy, Li noted.

Successful examples of cooperation, the ambassador said, include those concerning Huawei's research and development center in Milan, Shandong Heavy Industry Group and Ferretti, Shanghai Electric and Ansaldo Energia, or ChemChina and Pirelli.

"Trade cooperation between the two countries has already gone beyond the simple purchase of goods, entering a new phase of development," he underlined.

The world exposition which successfully came to an end in Milan on Oct. 31, Li went on saying, clearly highlighted and further developed the commercial and cultural relations between the two countries.

According to figures of the Chinese Consulate General in Milan and expo organizers, the Expo Milano 2015 attracted delegations from more than 20 Chinese provinces and districts, and hosted meetings between over 1,000 Chinese and 500 Italian companies, which accounted for more than 40 percent of all business activities organized during the six-month exposition.

Milan is the capital city of Lombardy region, a central area for Italy's industry and investment which aims at becoming a "hub" for Italian and European exchanges with China, said Milan's Councillor for Commerce Franco D'Alfonso.

Local authorities and industry experts took part in the conference, in which many Chinese and Italian companies were awarded by the Italy-China Chamber of Commerce for their outstanding contribution to the relations between the two countries. Enditem