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.
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