Chengdu: Made in Italy Day with a focus on the agri-food sector

On Monday 13 April, the third edition of the Made in Italy Day was held in Xinjin District, Chengdu. The initiative, established by the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, aims to promote Italian expertise worldwide across a range of strategic sectors.

Framed within the "Chengdu Europe Industry Dialogue" initiative, this year's event focused on: "Sustainability in the agri-food sector". The event was organised by the Consulate General of Italy in Chongqing, the Foreign Affairs Office of the Chengdu Municipal People's Government and the Xinjin District Government, in collaboration with the China-Italy Chamber of Commerce and Slow Food International. Operational support was provided by the Foreign Affairs Office of Xinjin District, the Management Committee of the Tianfu Agricultural Expo Park and the Investment Promotion Office of Xinjin District.

The day opened with a series of site visits to key local entities, including the Healthy Food Technology Innovation Centre and several agri-food hubs in Xinjin District. These visits offered Italian and Chinese participants an opportunity to gain deeper insight into the strengths of the local agri-food sector.

In the afternoon, the main forum of the event was held at the Tianfu Agricultural Expo Park. In his opening remarks, the Consul General of Italy in Chongqing, Fabio Schina, underscored the importance of cooperation between Italy and China in a key sector such as agri-food, highlighting the growing role of technological innovation and sustainability in strengthening bilateral relations.

"Today's event aims to enhance exchanges and cooperation between China and Italy in the agri-food sector, while promoting the integration of sustainable agricultural practices with scientific and technological innovation in both countries," Mr Schina stated, adding that "dialogue between businesses and institutions in both countries is essential to fostering sustainable development models and creating new opportunities for collaboration".

Alongside Consul General Schina, remarks were delivered by Li Ming, Deputy Director General of the Chengdu Foreign Affairs Office, and Hu Jianping, Mayor of Xinjin District, representing local authorities and event organisers.

The second part of the event was devoted to sectoral dialogue, featuring two round tables that brought together representatives from Italian and Chinese companies, trade associations and research institutions.

Subsequently, the China-Italy Chamber of Commerce and the Xinjin District Chamber of Commerce signed a memorandum of understanding on bilateral economic cooperation. The agreement represents a concrete step towards expanding areas of collaboration and lays the groundwork for more effective coordination between future projects, business support services and institutional dialogue.