One of the Belt and Road Initiative's major players is an Italian national with a long history in China. Italy's Under-Secretary for Economic Development Michele Geraci has not only helped push the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding, but has also helped teach and influence many of China's youth. 

The Italian government believes joining China's Belt and Road Initiative will boost its sluggish economy. 

"Now more than half of the EU countries have signed the MoU on the Belt and Road, the other half have not signed, the other member of G7 have not signed, but they do even more business, "so every country has been approaching China," Michele Geraci told CGTN.

One of Geraci's colleagues there said his experience in China has helped him a lot.

"Specifically, he knows the important role of China in the world economy, the growing role of China, and of course, Italy wants to make sure that it continues to develop good relations with China, so that is one additional element that helped him," said Peter Hofman, Associate Dean of Business School at University of Nottingham Ningbo China.

Chen Kailun who is now a third-year student told CGTN he had done some research in rural areas in China. And Geraci also taught him to think independently, not to just follow the mainstream.

Michele Geraci had been teaching Finance here for six years before joining the Italian government in 2018.

"My job here in Nottingham over the last few years in China has always been trying to help Italian political leaders, entrepreneurs and the general public to understand what is going on in China in terms of development, what China is doing well, what can we in Italy learn from China, in terms of economic development," said Michele Geraci.

Geraci said he owes to China and Italy's long history, and he believes that those who truly love both countries will continue to help boost bilateral exchanges in a new era.