Li said China hoped Italy, which will hold the rotating presidency of the European Union later this year, will encourage China and the EU to speed up negotiations on an investment agreement and to start feasibility research on a free trade area, facilitate programs in areas of technology, infrastructure construction, aviation and urbanization, and jointly oppose trade protectionism.

Renzi echoed Li saying Italy will continue to play a positive role for the development of EU-China relations.

Li and Renzi attended the inaugural ceremony of a China-Italy entrepreneur committee and a bilateral trade and economic forum after meeting the press at the Great Hall of the People.

Beijing is the second leg of Renzi's visit, his first since he took office in February. Before his stay in Beijing, Renzi visited Shanghai in East China.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and top legislator Zhang Dejiang also met with Renzi on Wednesday.

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