China's Li urges fair investor treatment in Italy, Xinhua reports

Chinese Premier Li Qiang welcomed increased participation from Italian companies in the Chinese market and expressed hope for a fair and non-discriminatory environment for Chinese investors in Italy, the state-run Xinhua news agency said on Sunday.

Li's comments came after a meeting with Italian President Giorgia Meloni on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Johannesburg.

China will continue to promote two-way openness with Italy and maintain bilateral engagement at all levels, Li said, according to the Xinhua statement.

"China is willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with Italy within multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations and the G20 and building broader consensus."

Italy, despite supporting the European Commission's 2024 decision to impose tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, has tried to stay in Beijing's good books, frequently highlighting the value of Chinese investment and collaboration in Europe.

REUTERS