China, Italy hold first summit since Rome left Belt and Road Initiative

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Italian Prime Minister Meloni have held their first talks since Italy pulled out of the China-led Belt and Road Initiative last year.

In their meeting in Beijing on Monday, Meloni stressed the need to correct the two countries' trade imbalance. Xi said that Beijing welcomes more imports of high-quality Italian products. Italy was the only member of the Group of Seven nations that joined China's Belt and Road Initiative, aimed at building a massive economic zone.