The 4th Business Forum Italy-China opened on February 21st in Beijing, in the presence of Italian president Sergio Mattarella and the Italian delegation of companies and institutions. An important mission attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Angelino Alfano, and the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Graziano Delrio, together to big national players including Mauro Moretti, CEO of Leonardo, Salvatore Rebecchini, President of Simest, Giuseppe Bono, Fincantieri, and the CEO of Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, Fabio Gallia.

During the mission, aimed at strengthening agreements with China, the second-largest world economic power, thirteen partnership agreements and trade agreements worth five billion have been signed in the presence of the President Mattarella and Xi Jinping, leader of the Communist Party and President of the Popular Republic of China, confirming the fact that China is a commercial and strategic partner of great importance for the Italian economic system.

The Campania Region plays a leading role in the Italian mission to China, having signed with the Beijing Municipal a cooperation agreement for joint actions in the field of scientific and technological innovation.

The agreement aims at to expand cooperation between companies, startups, research institutes and universities in their respective territories, promote technological innovation, its results and its advanced products; jointly match with common challenges and help maintain good bilateral relations between Italy China. Five strategic areas for development cooperation: cultural and creative industry, Preservation of Cultural Heritage, Food processing industry, Life Sciences and Aerospace.

The delegate of Campania Region for this important institutional mission designed  by the President De Luca was Valeria Fascione,  Ministry of Internationalization, Startup and Innovation. The city of Beijing has been represented by Aoshuang Yan, General Manager of the Commission for Science and Technology. Present among the delegates from Campania, Vincenzo Lipardi, Secretary General of Città della Scienza, as coordinator, on behalf of the Ministry of Education, the internationalization program of research and innovation systems between Italy and China.