China and Italy have maintained their friendship and both countries expect to advance comprehensive cooperation, especially in aerospace and heavy industry.

Seeing China’s brilliant achievements in outer space and great potential in space industry, Italy as well as the European Union (EU), have shown zealous ambitions to cooperate with China in this cutting-edge industry.

Specifically, China and Italy in 2017 signed an agreement for future cooperation in space science experimental research, space orbital facilities, and experimental loads, under the witness of President Xi Jinping and his Italian counterpart, Sergio Mattarella.

Last February, China’s first seismo-electromagnetic satellite, Zhangheng 1, was successfully launched from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in NW China’s Gobi Desert to study seismic precursors. The satellite carried high-energy particle detectors, some of which were provided by Italian partners, to complete the joint mission.

At present, the two countries are cooperating on the Zhangheng 2 satellite project. This march, China, together with Italy, South Africa, the Netherlands, and other countries, jointly founded the Square-kilometer Array Radio Telescope (SKA) project, which is designed to address a wide range of questions in astrophysics and other areas.

China’s space activities are rapidly developing and Italy hopes to board China’s future space station. For Italy, cooperating with China is a new way to carry out scientific research and space technology, said Piero Benvenuti, president of the Italian Space Agency.

Besides outer space, China hopes to work with Italy on the Belt and Road Initiative to jointly build a the new era on sea, on land, in the air, and in culture, according to President Xi’s signed article in Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.

Over 600 Italian companies have benefited from Chinese capital, creating nearly $20 billion turnover and more than 30,000 jobs. Meanwhile, some 2,000 Italian companies entered the Chinese market, with about $28-billion turnover, according to the statistics released by the Italian-Chinese Cultural Association.

Italy was one of the first European countries to confirm its participation in China’s first International Import Expo (CIIE). Covering 5,300 square meters, a total of 190 companies were exhibited, ranking the second among the EU countries.

Italian shipbuilding company Fincantieri signed a contract with China State Shipbuilding Corporation at the expo to jointly build a large-scale cruise ship. China’s first large-scale cruise ship has already entered the implementation phase and will be delivered in 2023, said Giuseppe Bono, the CEO of Fincantieri.

We are actively looking for development opportunities and working with Chinese partners to create a stronger competitive advantage, Bono added.