'Harmony needed amid great changes' Mattarella to Xi

(ANSA) - ROME, NOV 8 - Great changes across the world that would require a climate of harmony make bilateral relations particularly important, and China is for Italy a "fundamental protagonist", President Sergio Mattarella said on Friday shortly before talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jiping in Beijing.
    In the world, "great, intense, deep and quick changes" are taking place that would require to be dealt with in a climate of "harmony to be jointly examined", said Mattarella.
    Unfortunately, today, there is no such climate globally which is also why it is "important for bilateral relations to exist" and China represents for Italy a "fundamental protagonist", noted the president.
    Mattarella also spoke out against the temptation of "an anachronistic return to a world of opposed blocks". The Italian president highlighted how "Italians, the founding members of the European Union", support the importance of grouping countries who "share interests or sensibilities", hailing "multilateralism, based on certain rules, shared and binding for all".
    President Xi said at the beginning of the meeting with Mattarella at the Great Hall of the People that "China and Italy are great civilizations" and "changes unseen in a century" are taking place in the world.
    For this reason, the Chinese president noted, the two countries should work together "to solve divergences though dialogue" with the aim of "reaching an harmonious coexistence".
    Xi also called Mattarella "an old friend of the Chinese people and a good friend of mine".
    China and Italy have forged 10 agreements and memoranda signed at a ceremony attended by Xi Jinping and Sergio Mattarella, as part of their participation in the Italy-China Cultural Forum.
    The agreements concern a range of sectors including the film industry and competition. (ANSA).