（Source：Global Times，2025-10-10）
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with Italian President Sergio Mattarella in Rome, Italy on October 9, 2025. Photo: Chinese Foreign Ministry
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Italian President Sergio Mattarella in Rome on Thursday. During the meeting, Wang said that in today's world, more modern Marco Polos are needed to serve as bridges linking different civilizations. He called on the Italian side to actively participate in China's Global Governance Initiatives, join hands in practicing genuine multilateralism, and contribute together to world peace and human civilization, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, conveyed Chinese President Xi Jinping's greetings, saying that President Mattarella is a good friend of China who paid two state visits to China during his tenure, demonstrating his strong commitment to advancing China-Italy relations and his friendship with the Chinese people.
Wang said that China values Italy's influence in Europe and the world, and stands ready to work with Italy to implement the consensus reached by the two countries' leaders, accelerate the action plan for the China-Italy comprehensive strategic partnership, and ensure that bilateral relations become more stable, resilient, and fruitful. Such efforts, he added, will not only promote the development and revitalization of both countries and improve people's well-being, but also contribute to world peace and the responsibilities both sides share.
During their meeting, Mattarella extended his sincere greetings to President Xi and congratulated both sides on the positive outcomes achieved at the 12th Joint Meeting of the China-Italy Government Committee. He noted that China and Italy are both ancient civilizations that cherish peace and cooperation and are committed to resolving differences through dialogue.
In today's complex and turbulent world, confrontation has no winners - dialogue is the only way out, Mattarella said. He added that China enjoys great prestige in the international community and plays an increasingly crucial role. Italy, he said, expects China to make greater contributions to global peace and stability, according to the Chinese foreign ministry.
Wang attended the 12th Joint Meeting of the China-Italy Government Committee in Rome on Wednesday, during which he called for deeper cooperation between the two countries.
Wang will later travel to Switzerland to hold the fourth round of China-Switzerland Foreign Ministers' Strategic Dialogue. This marks Wang's second visit to Europe in less than a month - a move that, according to experts, underscores not only the increasing frequency of China-Europe exchanges but also Beijing's growing emphasis on strengthening cooperation with individual European countries, beyond its institutional engagement with the EU.
At the meeting, Wang noted that since last year, Italian President Mattarella, Senate President Ignazio La Russa, and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni have visited China, and that the two sides issued an action plan to strengthen their comprehensive strategic partnership, per Xinhua News Agency.
China and Italy have actively implemented the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries. Taking the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Italy this year as an opportunity, they have steadily expanded practical cooperation in various fields, with numerous highlights, Wang said in the joint meeting.
At a time when the current international situation is undergoing rapid and profound changes, China-Italy cooperation is facing new situations, new opportunities and new challenges. China is willing to work with Italy to uphold the original aspiration of establishing the China-Italy Government Committee, adhere to principles while innovating, and promote the upgrading of the cooperation mechanism to version 2.0 which is more systematic, targeted and effective, so as to better align with the development strategy of China-Italy relations, Wang said, according to Xinhua.
Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Tajani, who also attended the meeting, positively evaluated the sound development of Italy-China relations and the fruitful outcomes achieved, stating that the friendship between the two countries has deep historical roots.
It is reported that Tajani said he has asked the Chinese side to support the proposal for an Olympic Truce for all wars, including Ukraine and the Middle East, during the Olympic Winter Games in February 2026.
Responding to a media inquiry on whether China supports Italy's proposal, Guo Jiakun, spokesperson for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said on Thursday that China supports taking the Olympic Truce resolution as an opportunity to bridge differences through dialogue and replace confrontation with cooperation, enhance mutual understanding and safeguard world peace and development.
A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced Sunday that Wang would visit Italy to attend the 12th Joint Meeting of the China-Italy Government Committee and then travel to Switzerland for the 4th round of China-Switzerland Foreign Ministers' Strategic Dialogue from October 7 to 12 after his visit to Italy, Xinhua reported.
Wang's current trips to Italy and Switzerland comes less than a month after his visits to Austria, Slovenia and Poland from September 12 to 16.
Wang's visits to Italy and Switzerland are both aimed at attending governmental level meeting and foreign ministers' strategic dialogues — essentially to restore and strengthen bilateral dialogue mechanisms between China and Europe, Jian Junbo, Director of Center for China-Europe Relations at Fudan University's Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times.
He noted that this marks Wang's second visit to Europe in less than a month, underscoring the importance China attaches to its ties with the continent. Beijing is actively seeking to revive and strengthen dialogue mechanisms with European countries to deepen exchanges and reinforce mutual trust.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the European Union (EU), highlighted by frequent exchanges and high-level visits from both sides.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez visited China from April 10 to 11. In May, China and the European Parliament have decided to simultaneously and comprehensively lift restrictions on mutual exchanges as agreed by the two sides, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson announced. As agreed between China and the European Union, President of the European Council Antonio Costa and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen visited China in July.
Engagement between China and Europe has gone beyond institutional dialogue between China and the EU to include interactions at the national level — between China and individual European countries, both EU members and non-members, said Cui Hongjian, a professor at the Academy of Regional and Global Governance at Beijing Foreign Studies University.
This also reflects a key feature of China-EU relations: while maintaining dialogue with the EU as a whole, China remains committed to balancing and advancing its ties with individual European nations, Cui added.
