\n<\/p>\n
Ms Meloni described her trip as a “demonstration of the will to begin a new phase, to relaunch our bilateral cooperation”.<\/p>\n
She also said the two countries have signed an agreement that aims to boost cooperation on electric vehicles and renewable energy.<\/p>\n
In a statement released by his office, Premier Li said the two countries aim to increase “mutually beneficial cooperation between small and medium-sized enterprises in the fields of shipbuilding, aerospace, new energy, artificial intelligence.”<\/p>\n
Italy was the only major Western nation to sign up to the BRI, one of China’s most ambitious trade and infrastructure projects.<\/p>\n
The move was heavily criticised at the time by the US and some other major Western countries.<\/p>\n
Since coming to office in 2022, Ms Meloni has sought to lead a more pro-Western and pro-Nato foreign policy than her predecessors.<\/p>\n
Before withdrawing from the BRI, Ms Meloni had described the former government’s decision to join it as “a serious mistake”.<\/p>\n
“Every country which is a [BRI] member knows that China is first and they are second and I don’t think Italy as a G7 member wanted to be grouped together with Russia, Pakistan or Sri Lanka,” said Alicia Garcia-Herrero, chief economist for the Asia Pacific region at investment bank Natixis.<\/p>\n
“Without BRI [membership] Meloni is coming to China at a different level of engagement – less as a vassal and more as a partner,” she added.<\/p>\n