Finance
China Willing to Explore 'potential' With Italy, Says Commerce Chief
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on April 17, 2026
1 min readLast updated: April 17, 2026
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China’s Commerce Minister Wang Wentao told Italian Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani that China is open to expanding economic cooperation with Italy across e‑commerce, agriculture and food, healthcare and industrial parks.
China Eager to Expand Economic and Trade Partnerships with Italy
China and Italy Discuss Opportunities for Economic and Trade Cooperation
BEIJING, April 17 (Reuters) - China is willing to work with Italy to tap into the "potential" for economic and trade cooperation, Commerce Minister Wang Wentao told Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani in a meeting in Beijing on Thursday.
Areas of Potential Collaboration
E-commerce
China is willing to expand collaboration in areas such as e-commerce, agriculture and food, healthcare, and industrial parks, said Wang, according to a statement issued by his ministry on Friday.
Agriculture and Food
Enhancing Agricultural Trade
Healthcare
Opportunities in Medical Cooperation
Industrial Parks
Joint Development Initiatives
(Reporting by Ryan Woo; Editing by Himani Sarkar)
Key Takeaways
- •China emphasizes collaboration with Italy in e‑commerce, agri‑food, healthcare and industrial parks, signaling targeted sectors for growth.
- •Italy–China trade remains significant but imbalanced: in 2024, total bilateral trade reached €67.4 billion with €15.3 billion in Italian exports versus €52.1 billion in imports (rsa-tax.com).
- •Despite broader geopolitical shifts and EU de‑risking trends, both sides continue pragmatic cooperation, with trade rising by 16 % through August 2025 even as Italy seeks rebalancing (chinaobservers.eu).
References
Frequently Asked Questions about China willing to explore 'potential' with Italy, says commerce chief
1What areas of cooperation did China highlight with Italy?
China mentioned e-commerce, agriculture and food, healthcare, and industrial parks as key areas for expanding collaboration with Italy.
2Who met to discuss China-Italy relations?
Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao met with Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani in Beijing.
3What is China’s stance on economic cooperation with Italy?
China is willing to work with Italy to explore and tap into their economic and trade cooperation potential.
4When was the meeting between Chinese and Italian officials held?
The meeting took place in Beijing on Thursday, April 17.
5What statement did the Chinese commerce ministry release?
The ministry issued a statement on Friday outlining willingness to expand collaboration with Italy in various fields.