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Italian prime minister to visit China

During the trip, Meloni will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Premier of the State Council of China Li Qiang, and the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress Zhao Leji

BEIJING, July 25. /TASS/. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will make an official visit to China from July 27 to 30, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said at a briefing.

"At the invitation of Premier of the State Council of China Li Qiang, Italian Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni will visit China from July 27 to 30," she said.

During the trip, Meloni will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Premier of the State Council of China Li Qiang, and the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress Zhao Leji. The interlocutors will discuss bilateral cooperation as well as topics of mutual interest.

Meloni received the invitation to visit Beijing from Xi Jinping at the end of last year. At that time, Rome chose not to extend the 2019 memorandum on joining the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative. Italy was the only G7 country to sign such a document. Despite the current government's skeptical attitude towards many aspects of relations with Beijing, Rome has expressed its intention to strengthen strategic partnership.

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