CRI听力:China, Italy Pitch for Closer Innovation Cooperation

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang says China is willing to enhance innovation cooperation with Italy in areas including science and technology, industrial design and manufacturing.

He notes that the two countries signed a series of cooperation deals during his visit, with scientific and technological innovation being an important part.

"Prime Minister Renzi and I have witnessed the signing of contracts and agreements of companies from our two countries that worth 8-billion Euros or 10-billion US dollars. It's significant because of not only the scale and number, but also changes in the structure, mostly about cooperation and mutual investment in technology. They are closely related to technological innovation."

For his part, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi has also underscored the strategic nature of Italy-China cooperation.

Renzi encourages the youths of the two countries to strengthen exchanges and actively carry out innovation programs.

"There is a power we inherited from the ancestors within our DNA. Here in Polytechnic University of Milan, we have 40-thousand students, including 1-thousand from China, carrying out domestically and internationally renowned programs. Here we can foresee our future. "

Both Li Keqiang and Renzi have made the comments at the opening of the China-Italy innovation week program being held in Polytechnic University of Milan.

Giuliano Noci is vice president of the university, and is also in charge of China-related programs.

He says he's confident about the innovation cooperation between the two countries.

"Italy is an innovation powerhouse. And China is a huge market that keeps following innovations. I think we are highly complementary."

Italy is the last stop of Li Keqiang's ongoing three-nation tour, which has also taken him to Germany and Russia.

For CRI, I'm Liu Min.