Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi arrived in Beijing Sunday afternoon, continuing his 5-leg China visit.

 

During his stay in Beijing, Prodi is scheduled to meet or hold talks with President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao. The two prime ministers will also visit an Italian art and design exhibition in the National Art Museum of China.

 

Beijing is the last leg of Prodi's six-day China tour. Prior to his arrival in Beijing, Prodi visited Nanjing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Tianjin.

 

This is Prodi's first China visit after he assumed the office of prime minister in May.

 

When he was in Tianjin, trade representatives from Italy and Tianjin, a port city about 120 kilometers southeast to Beijing, signed agreements on Sunday on seven cooperation programs with a total investment of US$192 million.

 

The programs include a desalinator project and a logistic base near the international airport of the city.

 

Prodi, who arrived in Tianjin on Saturday night, visited the Tianjin Port, the Tianjin Steel Pipe Corporation and the former Italian concession in the city in the early 20th century.

 

The concession area is now home to the Italian trade commission's Tianjin office. Prodi attended the opening ceremony of the office.

 

China and Italy share broad prospect of economic cooperation. By the end of 2005, there are 1, 470 Italian companies in China.

 

(Xinhua News Agency September 18, 2006)