3月20日，在对意大利共和国进行国事访问前夕，国家主席习近平在意大利《晚邮报》发表题为《东西交往传佳话　中意友谊续新篇》的署名文章。文章如下：

东西交往传佳话　中意友谊续新篇
East Meets West
-- A New Chapter of Sino-Italian Friendship

中华人民共和国主席　习近平
Xi Jinping
President of the People's Republic of China

很高兴在万象更新的时节应马塔雷拉总统邀请，对意大利共和国进行国事访问。2011年我曾在罗马出席“意大利统一150周年”庆典活动，2016年又过境撒丁岛。意大利将古老和现代、经典和创新相结合的生活方式和工业理念，给我留下了深刻印象。即将再次踏上这个美丽国度，见到热情的意大利朋友，我感到十分亲切。
It is a great pleasure for me to pay a state visit to the Italian Republic at the invitation of President Sergio Mattarella in this blossoming season of spring. In 2011, I visited Rome on celebrations of the 150th anniversary of Italian unification and, in 2016, I had a stopover on Sardinia. I was deeply impressed by the way of life and industrial outlook of Italy that blend together the ancient and the modern, the classic and the novel. Now that I am about to set foot again on this beautiful country, it feels like I am to be among old friends and get immersed in their wonderful hospitality.

中国和意大利是东西方文明的杰出代表，在人类文明发展史上留下浓墨重彩的篇章。作为古罗马文明的发源地和文艺复兴的摇篮，意大利雄壮华美的历史古迹、文学艺术巨匠的恢宏杰作在中国广为人知。中国和意大利两个伟大文明的友好交往源远流长。早在两千多年前，古老的丝绸之路就让远隔万里的中国和古罗马联系在一起。汉朝曾派使者甘英寻找“大秦”。古罗马诗人维吉尔和地理学家庞波尼乌斯多次提到“丝绸之国”。一部《马可·波罗游记》在西方掀起了历史上第一次“中国热”。马可·波罗成为东西方文化交流的先行者，为一代代友好使者所追随。
China and Italy are both stellar examples of Eastern and Western civilizations, and both have written splendid chapters in the history of human progress. Being the birthplace of ancient Roman civilization and the cradle of the Renaissance, Italy is known to the Chinese people for its imposing relic sites and masterpieces of great names in art and literature. Friendly ties between our two great civilizations go back a long way. As early as over 2,000 years ago, China and ancient Rome, though thousands of miles apart, were already connected by the Silk Road. During the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 25-220), Chinese emissary Gan Ying was sent to search for "Da Qin", the Chinese name of the Roman Empire at the time. Roman poet Virgil and geographer Pomponius Mela made many references to Seres, the land of silk. The famous explorer Marco Polo's Travels roused the first wave of "China fever" among European countries. That pioneer of cultural exchanges between East and West was followed by a long list of personages in search of friendship over the centuries.

进入当代，沿着古人友好交往的足迹，中意关系不断焕发出新的勃勃生机。1970年中华人民共和国同意大利共和国建立外交关系。2020年两国将迎来建交50周年。建交以来，无论国际风云如何变幻，两国始终相互信任、密切合作，树立了不同社会制度、文化背景、发展阶段国家互利共赢的典范。中意两国牢固的传统友谊历久弥新，成为双边关系快速稳定发展的坚实支柱。
In our own era, China-Italy relations, tracing the footsteps of our ancestors, are brimming with dynamism. The People's Republic of China and the Italian Republic established diplomatic relations in 1970. In 2020, the two countries will celebrate the 50th anniversary of our relations. Through the past decades, our two countries have enjoyed mutual trust and close cooperation regardless of changes in the international landscape. Together, we have set a fine example of mutually beneficial relations between two countries that have different social systems, cultural backgrounds and stages of development. The traditional friendship between us, stronger than ever, has become a strong pillar supporting the rapid and steady growth of our bilateral ties.

——中意友谊扎根在深厚的历史积淀之中。两千多年交往史为中意两国培育了互尊互鉴、互信互谅的共通理念，成为两国传统友谊长续永存、不断巩固的保障。面对当今世界的变革和挑战，两国从历史沧桑中汲取宝贵经验，共同畅想构建相互尊重、公平正义、合作共赢的新型国际关系，构建人类命运共同体的美好愿景。
Sino-Italian friendship is rooted in our long history of exchanges. In the course of over two millennia, our two countries have embraced the principles of mutual respect, mutual learning, mutual trust and mutual understanding in our interactions, principles that underpin our long-lasting, ever-strong friendship. Confronted by the transformations and challenges of today's world and informed by our deep appreciation of history, China and Italy both envision a new type of international relations that are built on mutual respect, fairness, justice and win-win cooperation, and a community with a shared future for all mankind.

——中意友谊凝结在深厚的战略互信之中。两国领导人坚持从战略高度和长远角度看待和发展双边关系。2004年两国建立全面战略伙伴关系以来，双方发挥高层交往的引领和推动作用，在事关彼此核心利益和重大关切问题上相互理解、坚定支持，成为确保中意关系长期稳定发展的坚实后盾。
Sino-Italian friendship is embedded in our deep strategic trust. Both countries' leaderships approach our relations from a strategic and long-term perspective. Since the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2004, our two countries, guided and driven by high-level exchanges, have given each other understanding and firm support on issues concerning our respective core interests and major concerns. Our strategic trust provides a firm underpinning for the long-term and steady growth of China-Italy relations.

——中意友谊体现在丰富的务实合作之中。中意互为重要贸易和投资伙伴，两国利益深度交融。2018年，双边贸易额突破500亿美元，双向投资累计超过200亿美元。“意大利制造”是高品质产品的代名词，意大利时装、家具广受中国消费者青睐，比萨饼、提拉米苏为青少年所喜爱。两国在卫星、载人航天等领域合作喜报频传，中意科技创新合作周、警务联合巡逻、足球培训等活动受到两国人民热烈欢迎。
Sino-Italian friendship is reflected in our multi-faceted cooperation. As key trading and investment partners for each other, China and Italy have deeply entwined interests. Two-way trade exceeded 50 billion U.S. dollars in 2018 and investment surpassed 20 billion dollars in accumulative terms. "Made in Italy" is a guarantee of quality, Italian fashion and furniture are immensely popular with Chinese consumers, and pizza and tiramisu are the love of many young Chinese. Every now and then, we hear stories about the success of Sino-Italian cooperation in satellite R&D and manned space exploration. Initiatives such as the China-Italy Science, Technology and Innovation Week, joint police patrols and football training, to name just a few, are applauded by people in both countries.

——中意友谊传承于密切的文化交流之中。中意两国人民对研习对方文化抱有浓厚兴趣。中国一位教授在古稀之年开始翻译但丁的《神曲》，几易其稿，历时18载，在临终病榻上最终完成。意大利汉学家层出不穷，为中欧交往架起桥梁。从编写西方第一部中文语法书的卫匡国，到撰写《意大利与中国》的白佐良和马西尼，助力亚平宁半岛上的“汉学热”长盛不衰。
Sino-Italian friendship is carried forward through our intensive cultural exchanges. Chinese and Italians have a deep interest in each other's cultures. A Chinese professor in his 70s spent 18 years translating Dante's Divine Comedy, and after revising several drafts, completed this mammoth task before his final days. From Martino Martini, author of the first Chinese grammar book in Europe, to Giuliano Bertuccioli and Federico Masini who wrote Italy and China, many Italian Sinologists have built bridges between Europe and China and contributed to a long-running boom of China studies on the Apennine Peninsula.

意大利著名作家莫拉维亚写道：“友谊不是偶然的选择，而是志同道合的结果。”当今世界正面临百年不遇之大变局。把中意关系提高到新的更高水平，共同维护世界和平稳定和发展繁荣，是历史赋予我们的责任。我愿通过这次访问，同意大利领导人一道擘画中意关系蓝图，引领中意关系进入新时代。
The well-known Italian writer Alberto Moravia once wrote, "Friendships are not chosen by chance, but according to the passions that dominate us." In a world that faces profound changes of a kind unseen in a century, the onus is on us to bring China-Italy relations to a higher level and to jointly safeguard world peace, stability, development and prosperity. Through my upcoming visit, I hope to work with Italian leaders to map out the future of our relationship and move it into a new era.

我们愿同意方提升全面战略伙伴关系，密切高层交往，加强政府、议会、政党、地方各级别合作，强化政策沟通，增进战略互信和战略对接，继续相互理解和支持彼此核心利益和重大关切，夯实双边关系政治基础。
China hopes to work with Italy to strengthen our comprehensive strategic partnership. Our two countries may plan more high-level exchanges and cooperation between our governments, parliaments, political parties and subnational entities, strengthen policy communication, enhance strategic trust and synergy, and continue to give understanding and support to each other on issues of core interests and major concerns, so as to consolidate the political foundation of our relations.

我们愿同意方共建“一带一路”，发挥两国“一带一路”合作的历史、文化、区位等优势，把“一带一路”互联互通建设同意大利“北方港口建设计划”、“投资意大利计划”等对接，在海上、陆地、航空、航天、文化等多个维度打造新时期的“一带一路”。
China hopes to work with Italy to advance Belt and Road cooperation. Our two countries may harness our historical and cultural bonds forged through the ancient Silk Road as well as our geographical locations to align connectivity cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative with Italy's plan to develop its northern ports and the InvestItalia program, and jointly build the Belt and Road of the new era on sea, on land, in the air, in space and in the cultural domain.

我们愿同意方拓宽务实合作领域。中国将扩大对外开放，通过每年举办中国国际进口博览会等方式，同包括意大利在内的世界各国分享中国市场机遇。双方可以深入挖掘在港口物流、船舶运输、能源、电信、医药等领域合作潜力，鼓励两国企业开展第三方市场合作，实现互利多赢。
China hopes to work with Italy to expand cooperation into new areas. China will open up further to the rest of the world, and share its market opportunities with Italy and other countries through the annual China International Import Expo and other avenues. Our two countries may fully tap our cooperation potential in ports, logistics, ship-building, transportation, energy, telecommunications, medicine and other fields, and encourage our companies to partner with each other in third markets for win-win cooperation.

我们愿同意方密切人文交流。作为两个拥有最多联合国教科文组织世界遗产地的国家，中意拥有丰富的文化和旅游资源。双方要加强两国世界遗产地结好，鼓励两国文化机构和个人互办高水平文物和艺术展，联合拍摄影视作品，加强语言教学，促进人员往来，为世界文明多样性和不同文化交流互鉴作出新贡献。
China hopes to work with Italy to promote closer people-to-people ties. As countries with the largest number of UNESCO world heritage sites, China and Italy have plenty of cultural and tourism resources. We may encourage our world heritage sites to forge twinning relationships and our cultural institutions and individuals to organize premium relic and art exhibitions. We may also encourage joint production of films and TV programs, the teaching of each other's languages, as well as more mutual travel and visits. Through these exchanges, we will make new contributions to the diversity of civilizations and mutual learning between different cultures.

我们愿同意方加强国际事务和多边组织内的协调。中方愿在联合国、二十国集团、亚欧会议、世界贸易组织等框架内，同意方加强在全球治理、气候变化、联合国改革、世界贸易组织改革等重大问题上的沟通和配合，维护共同利益，促进多边主义和自由贸易，维护世界和平稳定和发展繁荣。
China hopes to strengthen coordination with Italy in international affairs and multilateral organizations. China is ready to enhance communication and collaboration with Italy in the United Nations (UN), the G20, Asia-Europe Meeting and the World Trade Organization (WTO) on global governance, climate change, UN reform, WTO reform and other major issues. Working together, we will promote our shared interests, uphold multilateralism and free trade, and safeguard world peace, stability, development and prosperity.

回首50年，中意关系深耕厚植、硕果累累。展望新时期，中意合作欣欣向荣、前景广阔。中国人民期待着同友好的意大利人民携手努力，为两国关系发展培育更加艳丽的花朵，让中意友谊不断焕发新的生机活力。
Looking back at the last five decades, China-Italy relations have struck deep roots and borne rich fruits. Looking ahead, China-Italy cooperation will continue to flourish and prosper. The Chinese people look forward to working hand in hand with our friends in Italy to carry forward our blossoming relationship and imbue our friendship with more vitality and dynamism.