Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni praised China as an “important interlocutor” in managing global tensions as she met Chinese President Xi Jinping over efforts to “rekindle” ties with Beijing.
“There is a growing lack of trust internationally, and I think China is inevitably a very vital interlocutor in dealing with all those dynamics,” he told Xi at a meeting at Beijing’s Diaoyutai State Guest House on Monday.
The two countries will have to “think together about how to achieve some stability and peace,” Meloni said.
Meloni is visiting China for the first time since he did so just two years ago and has vowed to “rekindle” ties strained by his country’s exit from Beijing’s massive Belt and Road infrastructure allocation, which expired on last year.
The Chinese president, in turn, praised the “long-established and friendly” ties between Beijing and Rome.
“The two sides stand for tolerance, mutual acceptance and mutual respect, and each chooses its own path of progression,” he said.
In 2019, Italy became the only member of the Group of Seven industrialized democracies to sign up to Xi’s Belt and Road Initiative, which builds virtual transportation and infrastructure to link Asia, Africa and Europe.
And while Italy eventually abandoned the infrastructure investment program last year under pressure from the United States over considerations over Beijing’s economic reach, Rome has indicated it still needs to build stronger industrial ties with the world’s second-largest economy.
The Italian prime minister told Xi that she hoped to “create industrial relations as balanced as possible. “
At the same time, the European Union’s industrial policy has become increasingly protective of considerations that China’s production-driven style of progression is being flooded with reasonable goods as Chinese corporations seek to expand exports. in a context of weak domestic demand.
In July, the European Commission showed it would impose starting price lists of up to 37. 6% on imports of Chinese-made electric vehicles, widening tensions with Beijing.
Chinese officials have warned of a possible industrial war if Brussels does not back down.
Beijing is also pressuring EU member states to oppose increasing price lists for Chinese-made electric cars in the October vote; Italy, Spain and France have indicated they would help those price lists.
“Both sides face opportunities for mutual development,” Xi told Meloni at the start of their meeting. “If countries are connected, they will move forward together. If they are closed, they will go backwards. “
“China and Italy maintain the spirit of the Silk Road. . . so that the bridge of communication between East and West that crosses it can be recovered in a new era. “