The year 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Italy. To further consolidate Sino-Italian relations and deepen mutual understanding, the China-Italy Year of Culture and Tourism 2020 is scheduled to kick off in January. It will cover a wide range of high-level cultural and tourism events between the two countries.

Both China and Italy have a long history and a rich cultural heritage. More people-to-people exchanges between the two countries have been seen in recent years. Statistics show that Italy received over 3 million Chinese visitors last year and the number is expected to rise in 2020.