On September 3, 2016, President Xi Jinping met in Hangzhou with Prime Minister Matteo Renzi of Italy.

Xi Jinping welcomed Matteo Renzi for attending the G20 Hangzhou Summit in China. Xi Jinping pointed out that China-Italy relations have achieved substantial progress in recent years. Upholding a spirit of mutual respect, mutual benefit and win-win results, both sides have deepened political mutual trust and expanded practical cooperation, bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples. China is willing to join efforts with Italy to constantly push forward bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership. Both countries should stick to the general direction of strategic mutual trust, respect each other’s core interests and major concerns and intensify bilateral exchanges and cooperation between governments, parliaments and political parties. The two sides should, following the principle of mutual benefit and win-win results, complement each other’s advantages for the sake of common development. China welcomes Italy to actively participate in the “Belt and Road” construction. The two countries should beef up people-to-people and cultural exchanges and deepen traditional friendship based on the ancient civilizations. Coordination and cooperation between both countries in international and regional affairs should also be enhanced to build a new type of international relations with win-win cooperation as the core. Both sides should also earnestly implement the four major China-EU partnerships for peace, growth, reform and civilizations and jointly maintain the sound development momentum of China-EU relations.

Matteo Renzi noted that the two ancient civilizations of Italy and China enjoy time-honored friendship. Glad to see the increasingly closer bilateral relationship, Italy hopes to deepen cooperation with China in economy, trade, finance, port construction, culture, health care and other fields, and is willing to participate in the “Belt and Road” construction. Italy wishes the G20 Hangzhou Summit a complete success.

Wang Huning, Li Zhanshu, Yang Jiechi and others were present at the meeting.