China and Italy should insist on mutual respect and trust, openness and cooperation, and conduct equal dialogue in the face of geopolitical challenges and disturbances, said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when meeting with Italian Vice-President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Tajani in Beijing on Monday.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Italian Vice-President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Tajani, Beijing, China, September 4, 2023. /Chinese Foreign Ministry
As two old civilizations and major world economies, China and Italy should complement each other's strengths to achieve mutual benefit and win-win situations and make positive contributions to the development of Sino-European relations and to world peace and stability, he said.
Wang said that in the face of geopolitical and other challenges and disturbances, China and Italy should adhere to the right way of getting along with each other, featuring mutual respect and trust, openness, cooperation and equal dialogue.
China is ready to work with Italy to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, strengthen high-level exchanges, consolidate the political foundation of bilateral relations, expand high-level practical cooperation, enrich people-to-people exchanges and push for sustained, sound and steady development of China-Italy relations, said Wang.
Tajani said that Italy attaches great importance to developing long-term and stable relations with China, will continue to abide by the one-China policy, and looks forward to closer high-level exchanges with China with strengthened exchanges and cooperation in various fields.
Although the current international situation is volatile, China-Italy relations will not be affected by it, said Tajani.
Wang and Tajani also attended the closing ceremony of the 11th Joint Meeting of the China-Italy Government Committee.
(With input from Xinhua)