Xi Pens article for Italian Media

On March 20, 2019, Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) published a signed article titled “East Meets West — A New Chapter of Sino-Italian Friendship” (東西交匯 續寫中意友誼新篇章) in the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera. The placement of the article corresponded with his state visit to Italy at the invitation of President Sergio Mattarella. In the article, Xi emphasized the deep historical connections between Chinese and Italian civilizations as “stellar examples of Eastern and Western civilizations” (東西方文明的傑出代表), tracing the relationship back over 2,000 years to the ancient Silk Road that connected China and ancient Rome. He highlighted that diplomatic relations were established in 1970, with 2020 marking the 50th anniversary. The article particularly focused on advancing Belt and Road cooperation, proposing to align the Belt and Road Initiative with Italy’s plans to develop its northern ports. Xi also emphasized cultural exchanges, recounting how a Chinese professor spent 18 years translating Dante’s Divine Comedy — and referenced Italian Sinologists who he said had built bridges between Europe and China. The visit was strategically significant as Italy officially became the first G7 nation to join China’s Belt and Road Initiative, signing a memorandum of understanding during Xi’s visit on March 23, 2019.