Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit Italy and Switzerland from October 7 to 12, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said today, quoted by Reuters and BTA.
The visit follows Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's visit to Beijing in late July - her first visit to China since taking office in 2022. During the visit, the two countries signed a three-year action plan and several memoranda of understanding.
Despite voting in favor of the European Commission's 2024 decision to impose tariffs on Chinese electric cars, Italy has tried to maintain good relations with Beijing, consistently highlighting the merits of Chinese companies and investment in Europe.
In September, Italy's deputy prime minister spoke in an interview with Chinese state media about cooperation with China in the automotive industry, saying that "There are broad prospects for cooperation between the two countries in the automotive industry, smart roads and other fields of transport."
Last Monday, the Italian government "extended an olive branch" to the state-backed Chinese group Sinochem, the main shareholder in the tire company Pirelli, finding that Sinochem had not violated measures imposed by Rome in 2023.
Two years ago, Rome used a legislative measure designed to protect companies of strategic national importance to limit Sinochem's influence inside Pirelli. and to protect the management autonomy of the Italian company.
Wang Yi will participate in the 12th joint meeting of the China-Italy Government Committee and the fourth round of China-Switzerland strategic dialogue at the foreign ministerial level, the ministry said in a statement.