Italy will strengthen cooperation with China in such areas as energy sources and machine building as the two countries can complement one another in various fields, Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi said during a recent joint interview with Chinese reporters in Rome.

It is in the interests of Italy to encourage more enterprises to enter Chinese markets, said Ciampi who kicks off a six-day state visit to China on Saturday at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao.

Strengthened cooperation between the two countries will also boost the development of relations between the European Union (EU)and China, the 84-year-old president added.

Asked about the purpose and significance of this trip, Ciampi happily recalled his previous visits to China in 1983 and 1991 when he was the governor of the Central Bank. "I was deeply impressed by the two visits," he said.

"China and Italy were the cradle of world civilization and bilateral ties are rooted in their long history and ancient tradition," Ciampi said. "The two countries are striving hard to keep their historical tradition in full vigor in the new era."

He noted that bilateral ties were further promoted by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to Italy in May.

In the field of politics, Italy and China have shared common views on many important international affairs including the implementation of anti-terrorist operations, avoidance of clashes between different civilizations, promotion of the Middle East peace process and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the president said.

Both countries hope to set up an effective multilateral mechanism based on the United Nations to cope with new threats and to enhance common security, he said.

On the economic front, he said many Italian enterprises have established joint ventures in China and the two-way trade volume has increased rapidly on a year-on-year basis. Italy's exports to China have risen nearly 20 percent in the first eight months of this year.

Italy is Europe's third largest exporter to China and about 500 Italian enterprises have invested in the country.

The president said his visit will promote bilateral ties with China by supporting cooperation between enterprises, by boosting cooperation in technology and environmental protection and by consolidating cooperation in the promotion of historical heritage.

The development of ties between the EU and China has huge potential and the two sides can cooperate in broad areas such as environmental protection, the development of alternative energy sources and advanced technologies, he added.

EU-China cooperation can also contribute to world peace, he stressed.

On combating terrorism, Ciampi said the international community should strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation to prevent and combat terrorism and to eradicate its roots, he said.

As for the situation in Iraq and the Middle East, he said that should disputes in the region not be resolved completely, peace in the Mediterranean region will never be realized.

"There is no other alternative but to implement the 'roadmap' peace plan to solve clashes between Palestinians and Israelis," the president concluded.

(Xinhua News Agency November 30, 2004)