Visiting Chinese Vice-Premier Li Lanqing on Friday held in-depth talks here with his Italian counterpart Gianfranco Fini on international and regional issues.
During the talks, Li said that bilateral relation is developing smoothly, especially in the field of economic and trade cooperation. China and Italy share identical or similar views on many important international matters.
The Chinese vice-premier said that China attaches great importance to the development of cooperative relation with Italy in all fields. The exchange between small or medium-sized enterprises of the two countries should be encouraged, said Li.
For his part, Fini said that Italian enterprises had noticed a potential and a huge Chinese market following China's entry into WTO and the hosting of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. The two events will offer the Italian enterprises an important business opportunity.
Li arrived here Tuesday afternoon for a five-day official visit to Italy following his visit to Greece.
( May 25, 2002)