Italian textile machinery manufacturers are eager to further cooperation with Chinese partners, said Antonino Laspina, commissioner of the Italian TradeCommission's Beijing Office.

He made the remark on Wednesday at the ongoing China International Textile Machinery Exhibition starting October 12.

The Italian participants brought the country's most advanced textile machinery and the latest technology, said Laspina, whose commission organized one of largest state exhibition group with 80Italian companies, covering 1,770 square meters.

Over the past ten years, China's textile industry has experienced rapid growth, with total export volume hitting 80.484 billion US dollars in 2003, up 27.72 percent year-on-year.

To meet international demand, China's textile industry has entered a new round of upgrading equipment, which has brought a huge market for foreign textile machinery makers.

As one of world's most advanced textile machinery producers, Italy has contributed a lot to the upgrade of China's textile industry, said Zhang Yankai, vice president of textile branch under the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.

In 2003, China imported textile machinery valued at 4.638 billion US dollars, up 25.3 percent over the last year, including 0.518 billion US dollars from Italy. Now, China is the largest customer of Italian textile machinery.

Italian companies will provide Chinese partners the most advanced machinery and experience to further bilateral cooperation."In textile fields, Italy and China are good partners, not rivals," said Andrea Certo, consultant of Italian textile machinery association.

Source: Xinhua