The two countries' decision to work together under the BRI could create a boom in bilateral trade. The business opportunities will be especially well-timed for the Italian economy, which is currently in a technical recession. Some companies there are already making use of the opportunities that China has to offer. CGTN's Michal Bardavid reports from Florence.

Italy's recent interest in closely collaborating with China and taking part in the Belt and Road Initiative has turned many Italian business leaders' focus to Beijing. However, some industries have already been taking advantage of the potential that lies within China-Italy partnerships. One such industry is logistics.

MICHAL BARDAVID FLORENCE "Savino Del Bene is an international company with headquarters here in Florence. This company that provides multi-model transportation services around the world has over 4000 employees. Over the years, Savino Del Bene has been working so closely with China that the management decided to open branches in China in the year 2000. Since then the company has opened 10 offices in different cities across China."

In 2018, Savino Del Bene exported almost eighty-thousand teus from China while it serviced the imports of almost 35,000 teus to China. Fabio Nocentini, the Executive Vice President of the company, points out the importance of getting to know each other when collaborating with international partners such as China.

FABIO NOCENTINI EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, SAVINO DEL BENE "Since China is a huge country with very different mentalities, religions, and way of doing business, to have people there, our own people there, Italian, Chinese, people from other countries of Savino Del Bene, it's important, it's a personal approach to the people, to the factories that we want to do business with."

Alberto Rivola is the Head of Global Ocean Procurement, he spent 8 years of his career in Beijing. Rivola says collaboration between Chinese and Italian business people creates a good combination.

ALBERTO RIVOLA HEAD OF GLOBAL OCEAN PROCUREMENT, SAVINO DEL BENE "I strongly believe that the success of our company in the Far East has been able to mix the best of both cultures, the Italian creativity with the Chinese hardworking."

Some international corporations such as Savino Del Bene have realized the potential of the Chinese market and are adjusting their goals accordingly."

ALBERTO RIVOLA HEAD OF GLOBAL OCEAN PROCUREMENT, SAVINO DEL BENE "We are really focusing on export out of China but because the Chinese consumer is spending more now, we are trying to divert our strategy and looking more at the Chinese consumer and to service the Chinese market, improving our presence in China and improving the supply chain to Chinese customers, also not just final consumer but also business to business."

Michal Bardavid, CGTN, Florence.