China and Italy sign cooperation agreements worth $3.3 billion

China and Italy sign cooperation agreements worth $3.3 billion

2011-06-03 20:38:17 GMT+7 (ICT)

ROME, ITALY (BNO NEWS) -- The governments of China and Italy on Friday signed a series of cooperation agreements worth $3.3 billion, officials said.

Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping, who is on an official visit to Italy, met with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi in Rome, state-run media Xinhua reported, adding that the two leaders oversaw the signing of 16 cooperation documents and business contracts to be carried out in different sectors.

A scientific research cooperation agreement was signed between China's Ministry of Science and Technology the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research through a memorandum of understanding.

In addition, the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology also agreed to a framework for supporting cooperation on regional innovation with Italy's Tuscany regional government.

In business-related agreements, 14 cooperation contracts were signed between Italian companies and a number of Chinese businesses such as China Development Bank, China National Petroleum Cooperation, Huawei, Guangzhou Auto, among others.

The contracts covered several different sectors such as telecom, medicine, finance, automobile and new energy.

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