Since 2004, diplomatic relations between Italy and China have been framed in what is defined as a “global strategic partnership”. In other words, the scope of the ongoing collaborations is not limited to the strictly bilateral sphere, be it political, economic-commercial or cultural, but also touches upon global issues, the EU-China relationship, multilateral issues. In 2020, Italy and China celebrated the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations, while in 2022 the Year of Culture and Tourism took place, with a rich calendar of cultural activities, including the prestigious “Tota Italia” exhibition, coming from the Scuderie del Quirinale and held at the National Museum of China in Beijing.
In 2024, the two countries will celebrate the 700th anniversary of Marco Polo’s death with a large number of activities dedicated to friendship and dialogue.
Over the last few years, and despite the difficulties brought about by the pandemic, Italian-Chinese relations have remained constant, with annual government-level meetings and talks that have strengthened institutional interaction and made numerous joint initiatives possible in many sectors.