Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni arrived in Beijing on Saturday, marking her first visit to China since taking office nearly two years ago. During the five-day trip, Meloni is scheduled to meet with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, focusing on boosting bilateral trade and addressing the war in Ukraine.
“Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni arrived in Beijing on the afternoon of 27 July for an official visit,” reported state broadcaster CGTN on the Weibo social network. An Italian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that Meloni aims to “relaunch bilateral relations in sectors of common interest.”
Key topics of discussion will include “the main issues on the international agenda, starting with the war in Ukraine,” the official added. This visit follows Italy’s withdrawal from China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) last year, having been the only G7 nation to join. Prior to taking office, Meloni criticized the decision to join the initiative, calling it a “mistake.”
Italy’s non-binding memorandum of understanding with China had outlined broad cooperation in logistics, infrastructure, financial, and environmental sectors. However, the lack of detailed agreements and transparency led to distrust among Italy’s allies.