On 6th December, Ettore Sequi, Ambassador of Italy to the People’s Republic of China, Michele Geraci, Undersecretary of the Italian Ministry of Economic Development and a delegation visited School of Economics at Peking University. Ambassador Ettore Sequi and Undersecretary Michele Geraci delivered keynote speeches on China-Italy Economic relations in the series lectures on "China's economy in the eyes of foreign ambassadors to China". The lecture was chaired by associate professor Chen Yi, Assistant Dean of School of Economics at Peking University.

 

During the Lecture

 

Before the Lecture, Professor Dong Zhiyong, Dean of School of Economics, presented Ambassador Ettore Sequi and Undersecretary Michele Geraci with the certificates. Enrico Fardella, Director of the Center for Mediterranean Area Studies, first thanked School of Economics for organizing the lecture. He then pointed out that this lecture concurred with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Italy and China and we had the honor to invite two distinguished guests to share their views on the economic relationship between Italy and China with us, which were of great significance to understanding and further developing the relationship.

 

Professor Dong Zhiyong Presenting Certificates to Mr. Sequi and Mr. Geraci

 

Next, Undersecretary Mr. Geraci delivered a keynote speech, in which he indicated that Italy-China relationship was of vital importance to the overall situation of Asia-Europe stable development and the new cabinet was devoted to establishing new trade relations with other countries by formulating new trade policy. Moreover, he suggested that the government should focus on not only the surpluses of a country’s current accounts but also the changes of her capital accounts. He mentioned that Italy welcomed transnational M&A by foreign capitals as well as greenfield investment. He then discussed the transformation of medium-small sized enterprises in Italy and suggested China and Italy should further strengthen cooperation in infrastructure construction, online payment services and mobile payment system to promote cross-board trade and investment.

 

Undersecretary Michele Geraci delivering a speech

 

Then, Ambassador Ettore Sequi delivered a keynote speech. He started by introducing the features of manufacturing industries in Italy from the perspectives of quality and innovation. As he explained, manufacturing factories consisted mainly of medium-sized and small enterprises and more than 99% of enterprises in Italy were medium-sized and small ones. Ambassador Ettore Sequi analyzed the opportunity for Italy and China to corporate with each other in respect of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). He suggested that both countries needed to further facilitate knowledge exchange, strengthen higher-education cooperation and boost development of regions in an open manner with Universities Alliance of the New Silk Road (UANSR) as a turing point. He further demonstrated that Italy and China shared common strategic interests, when both countries demanded a stable situation of the Mediterranean region, especially for the current period when the whole world was witnessing tremendous changes. We, therefore, had to pay more attention to cement a good relationship with the Mediterranean region.

 

Ambassadoe Ettore Sequi delivering a speech

 

After the lecture, the participants asked questions about how to balance the long-term and short-term benefits, climate change, the Belt and Road Initiative as well as other hot issues, Mr. Sequi and Mr. Geraci made patient replies, provoking favorable response from the audience. 

 

The Discussion after the Lecture

 

Finally, Associate Professor Zhang Yaguang, Deputy Dean of School of Economics, presented Mr. Sequi and Mr. Geraci with the Certificates of Honorary Professorship.

 

Deputy Dean Zhang Yaguang Presenting Mr. Sequi and Mr. Geraci with the Certificates of Honorary Professorship

 

Message from Undersecretary Michele Geraci

 

Message from Ambassador Ettore Sequi

 

Before the Lecture, Professor Yan Jun, Vice Director of Office of International Relations at Peking University, Professor Dong Zhiyong, Dean of School of Economics welcomed Ambassador Ettore Sequi, Undersecretary Michele Geraci and the delegation. Associate Professor Zhang Yaguang, Deputy Dean of School of Economics, Associate Professor Chen Yi, Assistant Dean of School of Economics attended the meeting.

 

Group Photo before the Lecture

 

Biography

 

Ettore Sequi，Ambassador of Italy to the People’s Republic of China and to Mongolia, was Head of Cabinet of Italian Foreign Minister, Counsellor in the Italian Permanent Mission to the United Nations, Ambassador of Italy to Kabul, Consul of Italy to Tehran. Ettore Sequi was awarded Medal of Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, Encomienda de Numero in the Order of Isabel the Catholic, Spain and Peace Prize Giuseppe Dossetti.

 

Michele Geraci, Undersecretary of the Italian Ministry of Economic Development, was Head of the Global Policy Institute (London) in China, adjunct professor at Zhejiang University, Head of China Economic Research Program and adjunct professor of Finance at Nottingham University Business School. He was awarded the Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity in 2016 for his insight into China’s Economy and contribution to China- Italy relationship.