Italy wants deeper trade ties with China, Meloni tells Xi

Italy is seeking to boost exports to China as part of a strengthening of trade ties between the two countries, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni told President Xi Jinping in a meeting on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summits in Bali, Indonesia.

The pledge comes as European governments are reexamining the risks of maintaining key commercial relations with China amid growing concerns about reliance on Beijing. Still, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz traveled to Beijing earlier this month to underscore close economic ties.

Meloni and Xi also discussed how to revive EU-China relations and cooperation on the biggest global challenges, including Russia’s war in Ukraine and the need to avoid an escalation of the conflict, according to an Italian statement. The Italian prime minister accepted Xi’s invitation to visit China.

The cordiality between the two countries builds on signals from Xi that he has taken his most significant steps to create space between Beijing and Moscow since Russia invaded Ukraine almost nine months ago. During the G-20 summit, China signed off on a communique Wednesday saying that “most members strongly condemned the war in Ukraine.” 

Xi held several warm meetings with world leaders in Bali, including his first sit-down with US President Joe Biden during which he reinforced his opposition to the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine -- a stance that outlines China’s red lines without abandoning Russia altogether.