Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao arrived in Rome on Thursday for a three-day official visit to Italy, the third leg of his five-nation European tour.

China and Italy, both noted for ancient civilizations, have forged a traditional friendship in history. Since the establishment of formal diplomatic ties in 1970, the Sino-Italian relationship has been developing smoothly.

Political ties between the two countries have been intensified in recent years.

Chinese leaders have paid visits to Italy several times aimed at deepening mutual understanding and trust. In October 2003, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi visited China and held talks with Chinese leaders on bilateral ties and international issues of common concern. Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi is expected to visit China in June this year.

All these frequent exchanges of high-level visits have consolidated political relations between the two nations.

The close political ties have paved the way for promoting bilateral economic and trading cooperation. In 2003, bilateral trade volume totaled 11.73 billion US dollars, 28.3 percent up from the previous year -- China's exports to Italy amounted to 6.65 billion dollars, 37.8 percent higher than that in 2002, with its imports from Italy up 17.6 percent to 5.08 billion dollars.

By the end of 2003, Italy had invested in 2,136 projects in China, with the contractual value standing at 3.82 billion dollars and the actual investment 2.49 billion dollars.

Sino-Italian cooperation in science and technology, culture and education has also been developing rapidly. Lu Yongxiang, vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress (NPC) and president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, was awarded by the Italian government in February, to honor his contribution to scientific and technological exchanges between the two nations.

China's sustained economic development and its vast market have offered a new platform for the two countries to push the bilateral cooperative relationship to a new high.

Source: Xinhua