The 4th China-Italy Friendship Cities Cooperation Dialogue was held in Rome on April 16. The event was co-hosted by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, the Chinese Embassy in Italy, the Italy China Institute and other organizations. It brought together over 200 representatives from sub-national governments, including eight Chinese provinces (autonomous regions or municipalities) and six cities, as well as four Italian regions and 15 cities. The Ningxia People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries led a delegation to attend the dialogue and engage in related programming.

During the dialogue, the Ningxia delegation delivered a speech at the sub-forum on industrial synergy and innovation under the theme “Serving the Development of Bilateral Relations with High-Quality Sub-national Cooperation”, introducing Ningxia’s economic and social development and its opening-up efforts, with a particular focus on its practices in economic, trade, investment, sci-tech, and cultural exchanges with Italy. On the sidelines of the event, the Ningxia delegation held meetings with friendly organizations including the Italy China Institute and the Italy-China Cultural Exchange Association, promoting Ningxia’s business environment and industrial development. The two sides exchanged views on deepening inter-association exchanges and cooperation, as well as advancing sub-national engagement, people-to-people friendship, and practical cooperation between Ningxia and Italy.

During their stay in Italy, the delegation also visited the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. They introduced Ningxia’s poverty alleviation practices and agricultural development, and discussed efforts to facilitate the inclusion of cities from Ningxia in the FAO Green Cities Network. They also explored expanding practical cooperation with FAO in areas such as poverty reduction and green development, and extended an invitation to FAO to attend the Eighth China-Arab States Expo.

The delegation visited the Wine Channel and the Rosarubra Winery to promote Ningxia’s wine industry, advance cooperation between Italian wine companies and Ningxia, and invite Italian wine companies to attend the Sixth China (Ningxia) International Wine Culture and Tourism Expo.

This visit to Italy effectively supported the broader efforts to enhance China-Italy friendly relations. It showcased Ningxia’s economic and social development, bolstered sub-national exchanges and cooperation between Ningxia and Italy, and further expanded channels for people-to-people engagement between the two sides, thus making Ningxia’s contribution to China-Italy people-to-people friendship.