Beijing: China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi is set to embark on a crucial diplomatic mission to Italy and Switzerland this week, as Beijing continues to recalibrate its engagement with Europe amid a shifting global order. The visit, scheduled between October 7 and 12, marks another significant step in China’s ongoing effort to rebuild trust, expand economic cooperation, and stabilize political dialogue with key European nations.
The trip follows the landmark visit of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to Beijing in July, during which both countries signed a three-year action plan and a series of memoranda of understanding aimed at deepening cooperation across technology, infrastructure, energy, and industrial development. The Meloni visit was widely seen as a turning point in Rome–Beijing relations after Italy’s decision to exit the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) earlier in the year.
Despite political sensitivities and economic competition, Italy has continued to highlight the need for pragmatic engagement with China. Officials in Rome have emphasized that while the European Union must protect its industrial interests, Italy values Chinese investment and seeks balanced cooperation in sectors such as green innovation, smart mobility, and manufacturing.
In this context, Wang Yi’s upcoming trip is expected to consolidate the new phase of cooperation, while addressing outstanding issues, including trade disputes and technology partnerships.
According to China’s Foreign Ministry, Wang will participate in the 12th China–Italy Government Committee meeting, a high-level platform aimed at reviewing bilateral progress and identifying new areas of collaboration. His subsequent stop in Switzerland will include leading the fourth China–Switzerland Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue, which is designed to discuss long-term diplomatic, economic, and financial cooperation between the two nations.
These dialogues, according to Chinese officials, demonstrate Beijing’s intent to sustain a “comprehensive and balanced partnership with Europe”, especially at a time when China’s relations with Western powers have been marked by trade frictions and geopolitical skepticism.
Wang Yi’s European visit comes at a delicate time for Chinese diplomacy. The European Union has toughened its stance on economic reciprocity and industrial subsidies, including the recent imposition of tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles. Yet, China continues to seek constructive engagement with individual European nations, highlighting areas of shared interest rather than confrontation.
Italy’s position within this framework is particularly crucial. As a founding member of the EU and a Mediterranean gateway for Chinese trade and investment, Rome serves as a diplomatic bridge between Beijing and Brussels. Similarly, Switzerland known for its financial networks and neutral diplomacy provides China with a stable partner for dialogue in an otherwise divided European landscape.
Wang Yi’s discussions are expected to touch on global trade, artificial intelligence regulation, environmental cooperation, and regional security, while also reaffirming China’s broader narrative of peaceful development and mutual respect.
The visit will test how far Beijing can advance its diplomacy in Europe amid lingering skepticism about Chinese intentions. Analysts believe Wang will aim to reinforce China’s image as a reliable partner rather than a strategic rival, particularly through economic diplomacy and cultural exchange.
China’s approach, as reflected in recent visits by European leaders to Beijing, seeks to separate economic engagement from political tensions a strategy that resonates with countries looking to maintain autonomy in their foreign policies while benefiting from trade with the world’s second-largest economy.
Wang Yi’s trip represents a broader recalibration of China’s European outreach, focusing less on grand initiatives like the BRI and more on pragmatic, bilateral cooperation. Both Italy and Switzerland occupy important roles in this approach: one as a key EU power with industrial influence, the other as a financial hub rooted in neutrality.
As China navigates a complex geopolitical environment marked by U.S.–China competition and European strategic realignment, this visit could serve as a litmus test for the next chapter of China–Europe relations one defined not by ideology or rivalry, but by dialogue, economic interdependence, and cautious diplomacy.
If successful, Wang Yi’s European mission could reaffirm Beijing’s relevance on the continent and underscore its ability to adapt its foreign policy to a world increasingly shaped by strategic balancing rather than clear alliances.