China Steps Up Outreach to Italy During Trump’s Rift With Meloni

April 17, 2026, 1:57 AM UTC

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi pledged to deepen relations with Rome in a meeting with his Italian counterpart, as a split worsens between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

Wang on Thursday called on Italy to continue high-level contacts and step up coordination in international affairs as geopolitical conflicts intensify this year, according to a readout of the meeting provided by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Wang Yi, China’s foreign minister.
Photographer: Lam Yik/Bloomberg

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who’s also a deputy prime minister in Meloni’s government, said he’s on a mission “to relaunch strategic dialogue at the economic and political level” ...

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