The Sino-Italian Relationship Through the Silk Road

China and Italy have enjoyed a mutually beneficial relationship for centuries, in terms of commerce, economy and culture. In this essay, I will examine the early stages of the Sino-Italian relationship, dating back to the Roman Empire. I will then focus on the importance of the “silk road”, a network of trade and cultural exchange, which further strengthened the connections between China and Italy. Finally, I will analyse the bond that still endures between the two countries thanks to the “Belt and Road” project, which represents the present-day version of the silk road.

According to the academic Marinelli, “the encounter between these two countries portrayed as representatives of two millenarian civilizations”, can be dated back to the Roman Empire, specifically 700 hundred years after the foundation of Rome (53 B.C.) A sense of envy for the triumphs of Julius Caesar (100 BCE—44 BCE) and Pompey (106 BCE—48 BCE), pushed Crassus (115 BC—53), a Roman general, to explore the land of Persia, in order to defeat the king of the Parthians and, afterwards, return gloriously to Rome. At the time, in the oriental hemisphere, the Chinese empire was moving towards the Persian dominions, in order to make new alliances for the trade of horses for the Han dynasty. It was the Roman’s resolution and the Chinese demand that brought the rendezvous point for the two powers into existence. Precisely, it was in the Parthian region that the relationship between the two empires began. From then on, China and Rome’s acquaintance can be enlightened by the exchange of goods, technological innovations, along with new techniques for the working process of metals.

According to doctor Pavone, the volume of such exchanges grew in the following years, as documented in the scripts of the Han dynasty – a resource that additionally states how the silk road constituted the best link of cross-cultural intermediation, and how the Sino-Italian “long-standing friendship” was in its ascendancy. Literally, the silk road was a network of maritime and land trade routes that stretched across Eurasia; thus, a fundamental actor to dispel the geo-cultural dichotomies between the two kingdoms. According to the sources mentioned above, the Han emperor “Wu Ti” reported that between the fourth and the third century B.C. the silk road expanded into the Western world. Consistent with the emperor’s words, silk became “the currency [for the exchange of] Central Asian horses”. Romans were fascinated by silk clothes and began to trade silk in such abundance that the luxury fabric became known in Latin as “panni tartarici”. Subsequently, the fall of the Roman Empire did not put an end to the silk’s demand. Conversely, such demand grew exponentially, and by the twelfth century a flourishing silk trade existed between China and Italy. Such commercial ties were not limited to the precious fabric: Italian merchants traveled to China and brought back with them gold, metals, ceramics, and spices. Therefore, it can be argued that the silk road promoted a stronger Sino-Italian relationship, a bond which still endures today.

The centuries-old link between the two nations now consists of lively economic and commercial relations, cultural exchanges, and a growing tide of tourists, that marked flows of strategic partnerships that are advantageous for both parties. “The similarity of the Italian economic structure to the one of China”, both “based on the small-and-medium enterprise”, encouraged Chinese investors to engage with Rome. Precisely, the Sino-Italian reciprocal admiration for their respective systems of industrial production make China the ninth world market for the exports of “Made in Italy” brands, while Italy is the fifth most important partner in the Beijing’s international affairs. These commercial ties have been recently given a further boost by the design of a new silk road, the so-called “Belt and Road” project (BRI), an initiative unveiled by “Chinese President in 2013”. The BRI envisions the creation of several land corridors across 65 countries and a maritime silk road in Eurasia. The planned program allows China and its 70 international partners, including Italy, to intensify production, trade, and wealth between Europe and Asia. The BRI initiative sees the Italian ports as a key resource, as more than 500.000 containers are shipped to the ports of Venice, Trieste, and Ravenna annually. Once again, Sino-Italian commercial ties have been reinforced by a program that will benefit both Chinese and Italian industries. This relationship has also been further strengthened by the creation of the “SACE” agency in Shanghai, a national department whose objective is to amplify reciprocal transactions within the BRI that have already reached the 2,58% quote in the Asian Infrastructure Bank investments. Nonetheless, one cannot omit to mention the 2006’s celebration of the Year of Italy in China, a symbolic image that well-represents Italy’s longstanding friendship with the Sino-partner. The festive agenda included a wide range of activities carried out across China’s cities. All roads lead to Beijing. Italy steps up efforts to foster bilateral ties with China.

To conclude, this essay has highlighted how the relationship between China and Italy has flourished over time in many fields. After the first encounter in the Parthian region, the ties between China and Rome flourished in the following centuries, benefiting from the silk road. Afterwards, the “Belt and Road” project represents the culmination of this mutually beneficial partnership. Indeed, the Sino-Italian relationship plays a pivotal role in the decision-making process of the BRI initiative, which has the potential for shaping the economy on a global scale.