On the evening of November 8, 2024, President Xi Jinping and Italian President Sergio Mattarella jointly met with representatives attending the China-Italy Cultural Cooperation Mechanism Conference and the Dialogue between Chinese and Italian University Presidents in Beijing.

The two heads of state heard reports from representatives of the two sides on China-Italy cultural and university cooperation.

Xi Jinping pointed out that the friendly exchanges between China and Italy which date back over a thousand years have nourished endless bilateral people-to-people and cultural exchanges. The ancient Silk Road opened the first chapter of the exchanges between the East and the West, and Marco Polo created a window for the Western world to understand China. Generations of envoys have continued to write chapters of friendship between the two countries, setting a fine example of equal dialogue and common development among different civilizations in the world. In recent years, the China-Italy Cultural Cooperation Mechanism has promoted the launching of the Year of Culture and Tourism in each other's countries, and pioneered the model of twinning relationships between the two countries' UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Universities of the two countries have conducted extensive academic and youth exchanges, and expanded joint research in emerging disciplines, with fruitful results.

Xi Jinping stressed that the world has entered a new period of disorder and transformation. As two ancient civilizations, China and Italy should act to jointly advocate for the cultivation of people through culture and the enrichment of character-building through virtue, reflecting on the shared future for mankind with a broad-minded humanistic spirit. They should rise above divisions and conflicts with an inclusive mindset, and unite their forces for development with a vision of harmonious coexistence, so that the light of civilization illuminates the right path for human progress. Xi Jinping expressed the hope that the two sides will work together to encourage more people of vision to practice China-Italy friendship and cooperation, promote mutual learning between Eastern and Western civilizations, and participate in the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, so as to make a joint contribution to world peace and development.

Sergio Mattarella spoke highly of the important contributions made by the Italy-China Cultural Cooperation Mechanism and the University Presidents Dialogue to promoting mutual understanding, friendship and cooperation between the two peoples, saying that both Italy and China are ancient civilizations with splendid cultures. The two peoples appreciate and respect each other, and the story of Marco Polo's connection with China is a portrayal of mutual learning between Eastern and Western civilizations. The two sides should sum up experience, carry forward friendship, build more bridges for people-to-people exchanges, strengthen unity and oppose confrontation, so as to provide a solid foundation and support for the development of the comprehensive strategic partnership between Italy and China.

Before the meeting, the two heads of state took a group photo with representatives of the two sides.

Wang Yi was present at the above events.