国内英语新闻:China willing to raise strategic partnership with Italy to higher level: Guo Jinlong

ROME, June 19 (Xinhua) -- China is willing to raise the comprehensive strategic partnership with Italy to a higher level, senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Guo Jinlong said during his visit to Italy heading a CPC delegation.

Guo, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, met Italian Senate President Pietro Grasso, President of Italian ruling Democratic Party (PD) Matteo Orfini, Italian Minister for the Environment, Land and Sea Gian Luca Galletti and other local top authorities.

Guo said that since the establishment of diplomatic ties, Sino-Italian relations have developed smoothly.

In recent years there have been frequent high-level exchanges that have increasingly strengthened bilateral cooperation in trade, science and technology, culture and many other fields, he added.

Guo highlighted that China attaches great importance to Sino-Italian relations, and is willing to work together with Italy to consolidate mutual trust, promote pragmatic cooperation, and deepen bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership.

Guo also spoke highly of the friendly relations between CPC and PD. He wished the two parties will maintain high-level dialogue, enhance the exchange of experience in managing state affairs, and play a positive role for the development of both Sino-Italian and Sino-European relations.

Grasso stressed that Italy also attaches great importance to developing relations with China, and is willing to further cultivate exchanges and collaboration in a variety of fields from economy and trade to culture and sports.

Orfini said that PD on its side treasures the inter-party exchanges with the CPC, and has a desire to further reinforce dialogue at all levels, and promote exchanges and cooperation in several sectors with China.

During the four-day visit on June 16-19, Guo chaired the signing ceremony of trade, environmental protection and other cooperation agreements between Chinese capital city Beijing and Italian institutions, and also visited the City of Science, a science education initiative in Naples, a city in southern Italy.