According to the Beijing Office of the Italian Trade Agency (ICE), the Italian National Pavilion at the 2022 China International Fair For Trade In Services (CIFTIS) opened on 31 August.

This is the first time that Italy has organised a delegation on behalf of the country for the event.

The delegation consists of the Embassy of Italy in China, the ICE Agency, the Italian Chamber of Commerce in China, the National Tourism Agency of Italy and 15 Italian companies, said Gianpaolo Bruno, director of the ICE Beijing Office.

Italian companies participating in the fair cover manufacturing R&D, food services, industrial design, business consultancy, legal services, cultural services, construction and engineering services, transport and logistics, among other sectors.

"Although it is difficult to make the journey from Rome to Beijing, due to objective factors such as COVID-19, each institution has tried every means to participate, which shows the importance Italian companies attach to this services fair," Bruno said.

Bruno added that the service sector plays a crucial role in the Italian economy and the country enjoys comparative advantages in a wide range of services, such as tourism, arts and cultural services.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Italy's trade with China recorded a robust 34.1 per cent growth in 2021, according to Chinese Customs data.

The services sector is playing an increasingly important role in bilateral trade between Italy and China, thanks to the two governments' efforts to promote openness, Bruno noted.

The Chinese economy is extremely resilient and strong, and China's economic growth will continue to contribute to global economic growth in the coming period, Bruno said, adding that Italian companies are confident in the Chinese market.