MILAN (ITALPRESS) – “The Business Forum Italia-Cina announced by Vice-Premier Antonio Taiani for the next few months, will be an opportunity to further promote relations between our two countries from a business and economic point of view, so new opportunities will be opened.” Lorenzo Riccardi, president of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in China, interviewed by the Italpress Press Agency. Riccardi illustrated the guidelines of the fifteenth Chinese five-year plan, which promotes a strategy of promoting foreign investment with very precise rules and directives. “We know that China devotes great attention to innovation, high technology, artificial intelligence, semiconductors – said number one of the Italian-China Chamber of Commerce. This innovation also applies to traditional industry, with applications of digital systems, such as the Internet of Things. In addition to this, there is attention to the population and social development and in this area of course relations with Italy can give opportunities in health and medical. China also wants to further promote a development of domestic consumption, so there is attention to Italian aerospace and healthcare products.” The year 2025 recorded a record in the Italian-China exchange, with a further growth in aggregate trade of approximately 75 billion euros. “We must consider that Chinese imports to Italy have increased, while the net trend of relations with Europe and other Western regions is reduced – says Riccardi. China perceives Made in Italy as a high-end segment, so we must promote services and products that are qualified and considered of quality and so that they can enter the Chinese value chains.” Regarding any obstacles to the entry into China of Italian companies, Riccardi commented: “China is a country with currency control, so it is a system where there are different rules than the jurisdictions of the European Union and Italy. We need to know them, we need to deepen them in order to do business in this distant market. Over the years China has opened opportunities for foreign investors. There is no longer, for example, the requirement of domestic capital, but you can invest directly from Italy almost in every economic sector, except for some sensitive sector. Of course, great attention should be paid to what is local compliance. We must also say that Italy and China have signed a new tax agreement that enters into force in 2026 and this gives further opportunities to Italian companies and Chinese companies. There will be a halved tax on dividends, and this means being able to increase capitalization or investments in both directions and there will also be a change on technology transfers.” The duties imposed by Trump to the Asian country, according to the president of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in China, can however represent a further opportunity for Italian companies. “In 2025 China reduced its exports to the United States by 20%. This is the result of the trade war, duties, policies that see Washington and Beijing involved. However, China has looked elsewhere and has therefore promoted an increase in economic relations with other partners, especially Southeast Asia, with an increase in Chinese imports by 12% from these countries – Explains Riccardi . The Italian Chamber of Commerce, for example, obtained a “white list”, therefore an exemption from duties for products that were indispensable for the production chain of Italian companies present in China. Then dialogue with theauthority and understanding of the needs of the company has produced incentives or exemptions regarding duties. China’s relationship with Washington is constantly changing. There will also be a visit by Trump announced in April and we hope that things will return to some stability.” (ITALPRESS).
Photos: Italpress
