On December 29, 2020, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended the closing ceremony of the 10th Joint Meeting of the China-Italy Government Committee with Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio via video link.

Wang Yi said that 2020 is a year worthy of special commemoration in the history of China-Italy relations. The two countries have worked together to meet the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic, setting a good example of mutual assistance and cooperation, and enriching the traditional friendship between the two peoples. Leaders of the two countries have had close exchanges and interactions through phone calls and letters. Political mutual trust has been further consolidated, economic and trade cooperation is growing against the trend, and exchanges in all areas have made new and important progress.

Wang Yi said that this year also marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Italy, and the bilateral relations stand at a new historical starting point. Both China and Italy are important countries on the international stage. The two countries should work together to promote sound and stable development of China-EU relations with high level of political mutual trust, jointly build an open world economy with high level of mutually beneficial cooperation, and jointly promote world peace and prosperity with high level of mutual learning between civilizations.

Wang Yi said that the China-Italy Government Committee has played an important planning and coordinating role in promoting China-Italy cooperation in various fields. Under the new circumstances, China-Italy Government Committee should continue to strengthen the role of a platform, effectively synergize with mechanisms in various fields, stimulate convergence effect and make greater contribution to the development of bilateral relations.

Di Maio said, he thanked China for its help and support in Italy's fight against the pandemic. The relations between Italy and China has overcome the impact of COVID-19 and achieved important results. Under the framework of the Italy-China Government Committee, the two sides have reached new cooperation agreements in such fields as trade, investment and culture, which will inject new vitality into the development of bilateral relations. Italy holds the rotating presidency of the G20 and hopes to strengthen coordination and cooperation with China on major international issues. Italy and China will host the 26th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity next year. Italy is ready to work with China to support each other and push for the success of the conferences.

At the meeting, the two foreign ministers jointly signed the Joint Document of the 10th Joint Meeting of the China-Italy Government Committee and witnessed the signing of other intergovernmental cooperation documents.