The Prime Minister of Italy Georgia Meloni will hold an official five-day visit in China from Saturday, Beijing announced today.

“Following the invitation of Premier Li Chiang (…) Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will pay an official visit to China from July 27 to 31,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said in a statement.

It’s about her first visit of Meloni in China since taking office in 2022.

Last year Italy pulled out of the controversial New Silk Roads deal with China, while being the only G7 country to participate in Beijing’s massive investment program.

Before taking office, Meloni called joining the program, a cornerstone of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s drive to increase his country’s influence abroad, a “serious mistake.”

The non-binding protocol of agreement reached between Rome and Beijing included broad commitments to cooperation in the fields of logistics, infrastructure, finance and the environment.

Since then the Meloni government has sought to restore ties with China, an important trading partner.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani traveled to Beijing last year and met with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, who described cooperation with Italy as “constructive”.