Foreign and Military Affairs

Italian leader sees a new China

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-10-27 07:28

A visit heralds a new era in Italy's Chinese relations

BEIJING - China is prepared to advance its strategic partnership with Italy, President Hu Jintao said on Tuesday during talks with visiting Italian President Giorgio Napolitano.

Hu said he believed Napolitano's visit would turn a new page in Sino-Italian relations by advancing the nature of the all-round strategic partnership between the two nations.

President Hu Jintao accompanies visiting Italian President Giorgio Napolitano at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Tuesday, as government officials look on. [Wu Zhiyi / China Daily]

Hu praised Napolitano for the importance he had attached to developing relations with China over the years, calling Napolitano a statesman of vision.

Hu welcomed Napolitano to China and thanked him for the hospitality he demonstrated during his visit to Italy in July last year.

Napolitano said he was deeply moved by Hu's invitation and was glad to be in China once again. The visit was an important event in his tenure as president of Italy.

Napolitano last visited China in the 1980s. He expressed great appreciation of China's achievements in national development in the time since, adding that the founding of People's Republic of China in 1949 marked a significant event in world history.

To mark the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic links between China and Italy, Napolitano will attend a reception in Beijing on Wednesday. The two countries have already jointly held a series of activities under the title of "Year of Chinese Culture" in Italy this year.

The "Year of Chinese Culture" involves bilateral exchanges in culture, trade, economy, education, science, technology, environment and tourism.

They are equally aimed at enhancing mutual understanding between the peoples of the two countries. Displays of historical and cultural heritage and cooperation are the highlights of the activities.

Napolitano arrived in Beijing on Sunday for his state visit. He is also scheduled to meet with top legislator Wu Bangguo and Premier Wen Jiabao in Beijing.

In an interview with Xinhua before his visit, Napolitano said he hoped to "help advance the very constructive bilateral relations". He attributed the growth of bilateral links to the consensus that the heads of state of both countries reached in 2004 on establishing an all-round strategic partnership.

Napolitano will visit Shanghai on Thursday and Friday and attend the 2010 World Expo. He will return home early on Saturday.

Xinhua