2015-04-17

On April 16th and 17th, 2015, Mr. ZHANG Yi reported on the work of the Commission to Mr. Gianni De Michelis, Honorary Chairman of the Commission twice and followed the instruction given by Mr. Gianni De Michelis in line with the reports of current works of the Commission, the related achievements and the future plans. 

Mr. Gianni De Michelis and Mr. ZHANG Yi

Mr. Gianni De Michelis was born in Venice and he is a famous political leader in Italy. He served at Municipal Council of Venice at young age and was firstly elected to be the member of the Italian Parliament in 1976, which marks his initial service at the central government of Italy. He was the Former Vice Premier and Foreign Minister (1989—1992). During his days in the central government of Italy, he had visited China several times in order to promote the friendship between Italian and Chinese people. Mr. Gianni De Michelis is the old and good friend to Chinese people. In 2004, Mr. De Michelis became the member of European Parliament and assumed the post of the Head of China Working Team of European Parliament. In October, 2014, Mr. De Michelis who had left the post of European Parliament member, assumed the post of Honorary Chairman of the Commission. 

After having heard the report from Mr. ZHANG Yi, Mr. De Michelis positively affirmed the related achievements of the Commission and pointed out that 2015 was the 45th anniversary of establishing the diplomatic relation between Italy and China and the 40th anniversary of establishing the diplomatic relation between EU and China. In this special year, the Commission should play its role well and promote all the related works in the field of economic cooperation and cultural exchange between EU Member States and China. Mr. ZHANG Yi clarified further the strategic policy of the Belt and Road presented by the Chinese government and the ensuing opportunities of cooperation. Mr. De Michelis appreciated the strategic policy of the Belt and Road put forward by Mr. XI Jinping, President of China and Mr. LI Keqiang, Premier of China and he believed that it would be the best method to reinforce further the friendship between European and Asian people with a view to achieving the purpose of mutual trust, cooperation and development. Mr. De Michelis remarked, with the work of building the Belt and Road unfolding itself step by step, The Commission would be actively engaged in coordinating the working relationship between EU and China and make its own contribution to the work of reinforcing the friendship between European and Chinese people. 

Mr. ZHANG Yi reported to Mr. De Michelis that, the Commission planned to hold the international symposium on the topic of building the core areas of the Belt and Road in the collaboration with National Culture Promotion Foundation of China in September of this year and was about to provide the intellectual support and project presentation to Xinjiang and Fujian, the two core areas designated by the Chinese government. Mr. De Michelis had the positive opinion of the value of this international forum and its significance. He said, he would head the high-level Italian Delegation to attend this symposium. Mr. ZHANG Yi remarked that the Commission would spare no effort to successfully hold this symposium in the wake of executing the detailed action plan. 

On the night of April 17th, Mr. ZHANG Yi bid farewell to Mr. De Michelis on his last day in Rome.