Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi's visit to China on Dec. 4-9 was "very successful," and Italy supports the lifting of the EU's arms embargo against China, Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini said.

In a recent written interview with Xinhua, Fini, who accompanied Ciampi on the trip, said Italy is an important member of the European Union (EU), and strengthening Italy-China relations will help promote the EU and China to set up an all-round comprehensive strategic partnership.

He stressed that his country supports the lifting of EU's arms embargo against China and any delay to do so is not in line with the spirit of strategic partnership based on mutual trust and cooperation.

Meanwhile, Fini spoke highly of the enormous achievements china has scored over the past 20 years, saying he had witnessed the great changes and social progress during the visit.

China has become an important player in world affairs, and undoubtedly, the fast-growing economy has made China an engine for the world economic growth, the foreign minister said.

Fini held talks with his Chinese counterpart Li Zhaoxing during Ciampi's China visit. Fini said the two sides agreed to work for the launching of an Italy-China government committee, whose main task is to organize the Italian Culture Year to be held in 2006 in China within the framework of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

During the visit, a package of cooperation documents were inked, involving further cooperation in culture, trade, heritage property protection and even sports collaboration.

Fini said the active participation of the two countries' businessmen in a forum on Italian manufacture industry held in Shanghai during the visit was a best show of the willingness for cooperation between the two sides.

He added that to expand mutual exports and promote mutual investment are the challenges facing the two countries.

Source: Xinhua