Italy's agrifood products are popular in China

Rome - A meeting on food quality and food safety between Italy and China organised to promote trade between the two countries were discussed during a conference entitled "Dialogue on food quality and safety between Italy and China". It was organised in cooperation with the embassy of the Peoples' Republic of China, with agrifood and the fight against fraud and fake products the issues at stake.

The debate was attended by Maurizio Martina, Minister of Agricultural Policies and Forestry; Beatrice Lorenzin, Minister of Health; Elisabetta Belloni, Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation; Li Ruiyub, Ambassador of the Peoples' Republic of China in Italy; Ettore Francesco Sequi, Ambassador of Italy in the Peoples' Republic of China (online from China); Xie Jianmin, Vice Permanent Representative of the Peoples' Republic of China to the FAO; Zhang Jing, Head of the China Food and Drug Administration delegation; and Luigi Scordamaglia, President of Federalimentare. "LUISS University has volunteered to be the bridge between the two countries to enhance dialogue on food safety norms.

The aim is to achieve a legal alignment to protect food product excellence produced in China and in Italy, within a cooperation framework and shared regulations," said the provost of the university, Paola Severino. "Italy and China have time-old culinary traditions and are, in fact, the best known cuisines in the world," said the Chinese Ambassador to Italy, Li Ruiyu. "The Chinese market is open to receive Italian products, which have become very popular. Particularly appreciated are products of excellence as wines, high-quality olive oil, and Italian prosciutto. Imports of Italian wine, especially red wines, have grown significantly.

Italy's products are much appreciated in China," added the Ambassador. He recalled the bliss that Chinese tourists express when they come to Italy and discover what a real pizza is like, having been used to pizza marketed by U.S. food chains. "Consequently, the Chinese market represents a growth and development opportunity for Italian and Chinese agrifood companies," said the ambassador.