Mutual respect is the right way for nations to get along with each other

In an international landscape fraught with uncertainty, the meeting between China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Italy's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Tajani in Rome on Wednesday offers a refreshing narrative of sustained partnership.

The constructive and extensive dialogue they held was conducive to reinforcing the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two nations bound by a long history and a shared vision for a stable future.

Wang's central message underscored a fundamental principle guiding Chinese diplomacy: the importance of strategic and long-term perspective in state-to-state relations. The China-Italy comprehensive strategic partnership, initiated by forward-looking visionary leaders, has proven its value over time. This is because its foundation lies not in transient interests, but in the mutual respect between two ancient civilizations and their shared recognition of the immense benefits that sustained collaboration brings.

Reaffirmation of the partnership can help prevent zero-sum thinking from infecting Sino-Italian ties. The economic dimension of this partnership provides tangible evidence of its success. For 13 consecutive years, the two sides have jointly held the Science, Technology and Innovation Week, providing sustained momentum for strengthening trade, investment and technological cooperation.

As Italy's largest trading partner in Asia for many years, China's pursuit of high-quality development continually brings opportunities for the Italian economy. By taking advantage of their economic complementarity, China and Italy can work together to explore cooperation in sustainable infrastructure, clean energy and digital connectivity, promoting a win-win scenario and fostering high-quality development of related sectors.

On the global stage, both China and Italy are cradles of civilization and major members of the modern multilateral system. Wang's call for the two nations to jointly champion the spirit of multilateralism is therefore a call to defend the very system that has ensured decades of peace and development.

As Wang said, mutual respect is the right way for countries to get along with each other. Those who share similar ideals and values are friends, and those who seek common ground while reserving differences can also be friends. Cultural and institutional differences should not become obstacles to dialogue and cooperation. The key is to understand and support each other's core interests and legitimate concerns.

In the face of resurgent unilateralism and the dangerous drift toward bloc confrontation, the call from China and Italy for mutual learning, communication and collaboration is therefore critical. Their shared opposition to "decoupling" and economic fragmentation is a defense of global supply chains, which serves the two countries' common interests.

There should be no doubt about China's willingness to work with Italy to maintain world peace, stability, development and prosperity, promote international unity in addressing global challenges, build a more just and equitable global governance system, and jointly advance toward a community with a shared future for humanity.

Together, the two countries should work to build international consensus, encourage de-escalation, and create the conditions for a lasting peace that respects the security concerns of all parties.

The meeting between Wang and his Italian host has reaffirmed a strategic choice made years ago. It proves that mutually beneficial partnership, based on mutual respect and shared interests, can withstand the tests of a changing world.

By deepening mutual trust, expanding practical cooperation across new frontiers and standing together in defense of a multilateral, peaceful global order, China and Italy are not only trying to explore a prosperous course for their own peoples but also helping inject stability into a turbulent world.