The Undersecretary Manlio Di Stefano received today, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jin Xiangjun, Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Tjanin. In 2019, in fact, a strong increase in Italian exports was recorded (+28.4%) in the area of Tjianin, the third wealthiest city in China and one of the drivers of research and innovation in the country. The meeting confirmed the current excellent state of bilateral relations between Italy and China and the intention of both countries to further improve the situation, to the benefit of both their economies and entrepreneurs.
The Undersecretary referred to the meetings, in 2019, of Minister Di Maio with the Secretary of the local Communist Party, Li Hoingzhong, and with the Mayor of Tjianin, Zhang Guoqing, leading to the signing of numerous agreements. Regarding the agreement for the establishment of a Sino-Italian Industrial Park for SMEs in the Tianjin/Binhai area, Mr. Di Stefano emphasised how contacts between the Italian enterprises and the President of the Park had already been established and were currently under way, expressing the desire that they may give rise to fruitful partnerships.
The Undersecretary also represented Italy’s interest in furthering commercial partnerships in the port sector, to develop Italian exports to China, also in the wake of the contacts initiated last November with the Port Authorities of Genoa and the special economic areas of Naples, Bari and Taranto. Last but not least, building on the success of the Forum for small and medium enterprises organised last September by Cassa Depositi e Prestiti and the Bank of China in Tianjin, within the framework of the Italy-China Business Forum, the two institutional partners agreed on the expediency of establishing an annual meeting and exchange mechanism for SMEs on trade, as well as an annual meeting and exchange mechanism for SMEs on trade and investments.