Italy promotes economic and trade cooperation and cultural exchanges in Xi'an

EXCO& OBOR Exhibition 2018， Italy Xi'an Station Conference was held on March 11 in the Xi'an Innovation and Design Center, Xi’an city, Shaanxi province in Northwest China.

Government agencies, outstanding enterprises and industry elites from Xi'an were invited to join the meeting to further promote economic and trade cooperation and cultural exchanges between China and Italy.

Mr. Michiele De Gasperis, president of the One Belt and One Road Research Institute in Italy introduces the OBOR 2019 Exhibition at the conference. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

In a keynote speech, Michele de Gasperis said that "the Silk Road" is a very romantic term for westerners, but it should be understood as another method of globalization in today's era.

“Xi'an not only has a long history, but also has developed modern science and technology. I hope that through Italy's "one belt and one road" exhibition, this platform will promote the interconnection, opening up, cooperation and innovation development of the two sides, so that Xi'an and Italy will have further exchanges and cooperation in culture, tourism and economy,” said de Gasperis.

In response to last year's Shanghai Expo, the Italian government will hold the 2019 Italy "one belt and one road" international productivity cooperation Expo and the "one belt and one road" exhibition in Rome from May 15 to 18.

At that time, high-level representatives from China, the European Commission, the African Union and United Nations agencies, as well as representatives of entrepreneurs, industry elites and experts from various fields will gather in Rome, the center of the Mediterranean, to work together on the major international cooperation topic of "innovation and employment creation for sustainable development".

Liu Qizhi, secretary of the Xi’an Beilin District Party Committee speaks at the conference. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Liu Qizhi, secretary of the Xi’an Beilin District Party Committee, said that although Xi'an and Rome are thousands of miles apart, the relationship between them has a long history.

“This promotion meeting is not only the continuation of the two countries' friendly exchanges and cooperation in Beilin District of Xi'an, but also an important measure to activate the local economy and enhance the understanding and friendship between the two peoples,” Liu said.

The EXCO& OBOR Exhibition 2018， Italy Xi'an Station Conference was jointly sponsored by the Italian Embassy in China, the Xi'an Municipal People's government's Foreign Affairs Office and the Xi'an Expo Center, and hosted by the government of Beilin District of Xi’an city.

District Leader Lu Guangwen made further negotiations with the Italian side after the promotion conference and hopes more Italian friends will come to Xi'an and Beilin district to jointly promote economic and trade cooperation and cultural exchanges.