President Xi's visit generates new sparks between China and Italy

Friday saw an intense round of diplomatic events on the agenda of President Xi Jinping during his visit to Rome. The president attended a welcoming ceremony, held talks with his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella before a joint press conference, and met with members of Italian and Chinese business and cultural circles. These diplomatic events have created new sparks between the two countries.

Italy's President Sergio Mattarella receives President Xi Jinping in Rome, Italy on Friday, March 22, 2019. [Photo: Xinhua]

A dialogue between two great civilizations of the East and the West

At 10 a.m. Italy's President Sergio Mattarella held a welcoming ceremony for President Xi at the Quirinale presidential palace. The ceremony, featuring cavalry soldiers, red carpet rolled out across the square, and guards of honor, was a grand demonstration of courtesy for China's head of state.

President Xi Jinping shakes hands with his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella in Rome, Italy on Friday, March 22, 2019. [Photo: Xinhua]

"Civilization" was a key word during Friday's talks

President Xi noted that China and Italy have a profound historical connection, as both countries are home to ancient civilizations. He urged the two countries to boost their cultural and people-to-people exchanges, and enhance communication and cooperation in fields such as culture, education, film and television, and media, in order to consolidate popular support for the friendship between the two nations.

President Mattarella said that, as Italy and China are both ancient civilizations, the peoples of the two countries have the wisdom to address the challenges facing human society today.

While meeting with people from the business and cultural circles, President Sergio Mattarella pointed out that both Italy and China have ancient civilizations, which is the root of their profound friendship. President Xi Jinping highlighted the importance of their inherited civilizations to the mutual ties of today with the phrase "Deep roots produce luxuriant leaves."

President Xi said that China and Italy both boast a time-honored history and highly value the continuation of their civilizations, which lays the foundation for the two countries to enjoy mutual understanding and lasting friendship. He also praised the two countries as being strategic partners with ties featuring mutual respect and trust. He said that, as cooperative partners, China and Italy share the belief in mutual respect and trust, mutual benefit and win-win results, as well as cultural exchange and mutual learning.

An escort of guards on horseback greets President Xi Jinping in Rome, Italy on Friday, March 22, 2019. [Photo: China Plus]

New sparks generated between two ancient civilizations

"More than 2,000 years ago, China and ancient Rome, although thousands of miles apart, were already connected by the Silk Road," President Xi said in a signed article published in Italy.

Tracing the footsteps of their ancestors, China and Italy have a relationship brimming with dynamism. In 2020, the two countries will celebrate the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic ties. It is in this context that Xi, in his first visit as China's head of state, worked to bring two of the great civilizations of the East and the West closer together to hand-in-hand build the Belt and Road.

"Today, we are willing to join hands again with the friendly people of Italy to promote a mutual understanding of civilization, adhere to win-win cooperation, revive the ancient Silk Road, and enable the people of all countries to better share the fruits of development," President Xi said at the joint press conference.

President Xi said that China and Italy should promote the synergy of their development strategies, seek opportunities in fields such as infrastructure construction, port logistics, and marine transportation, and create high-quality and pragmatic cooperation projects under the Belt and Road Initiative. Through the initiative, China is willing to boost cultural and people-to-people exchanges, enhance mutual learning, and consolidate the popular support for the friendship between the two nations.

A welcoming ceremony to greet President Xi Jinping in Rome, Italy on Friday, March 22, 2019. [Photo: China Plus]

President Mattarella said that Italy supports President Xi's initiative to jointly build the Belt and Road. He believes that it will be conducive to common development and connectivity in Eurasia, and that it will revive the ancient Silk Road. Calling the Belt and Road a path for cultural exchange, the Italian president said his country is willing to boost communication and cooperation with China in the fields of culture and tourism.

Lucia Mattioli, the vice president of Confindustria, is in agreement with President Xi in that cooperation between Italy and China is mutually beneficial and will provide win-win results that are of tangible benefit to the peoples of the two countries. She said that President Xi's visit had given her more confidence that bilateral economic and trade cooperation could be deepened, and that cooperation could be developed in third-party markets.

The front page of La Repubblica on Friday, March 22, 2019. [Photo: China Plus]

A state visit on the front pages of mainstream media

President Xi's trip to Italy was in the spotlight of various mainstream Italian news agencies on Friday. Corriere della Sera, La Repubblica, and many other major newspapers published on their front pages a photo of President Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan disembarking from their plane on their arrival in Rome.

The front page of Corriere della Sera on Friday, March 22, 2019. [Photo: China Plus]

Corriere della Sera published a headline article on its website on the talks between President Xi and President Mattarella. President Mattarella was quoted in the article as saying that cooperation between Italy and China is two-way and mutually beneficial.

The front page of Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata on Friday, March 22, 2019. [Photo: China Plus]

Italy's Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata published on its website an article titled "Mattarella lauds Silk Road memorandum after Xi meeting". It quoted President Sergio Mattarella’s remarks on the role of President Xi's visit. "Cooperation between Italy and China will be confirmed during the much-welcomed visit of President Xi with trade agreements," President Mattarella said. "The signing of the Italy-China memorandum is a sign of the attention devoted to a framework for an increase in cooperation between Italian businesses and Chinese businesses."