ROME: Italy is looking to Malaysia to partner with, in its quest to level up in the economic and trade sectors, says Italian Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani.

Tajani, who is also Foreign Affairs and International Coope­ra­tion Minister, said Malaysia is one of the most progressive nations around with whom it had been building partnerships in the two sectors.

“The relations between Italy and Malaysia have always been good. Now, we look to build it further,” he said at a courtesy call to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim here.

He reiterated what Anwar said earlier about the importance of having peace and stability as the foundation to support and grow the business sector.

“We have many big companies and we are ready for joint ventures and investments abroad.

“Italy is also the second most industrious country in Europe,” he said, adding that this only meant Italy had a lot to offer.

Anwar said Malaysia is an excellent partner to have since it has policies that are dynamic and clear.

He said PETRONAS, being one of the top companies globally, is more than ready to move together with the European nation.

Asean, he said as regional chair, is the most peaceful area in the world and economically most promising.

Next-level ventures: Anwar shaking hands with Tajani during a courtesy call in Rome. The PM is on a three-day official visit to Italy, with the highlight of the trip being a meeting with his counterpart, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. — Bernama

“This will certainly pave the way for a greater cooperation.”

He expressed gratitude for Tajani’s visit as it reflected both nations’ commitment to strengthen bilateral relations based on mutual respect and understanding.

“We have been talking about expanding our cooperation in various fields, including relations between Asean and the European Union,” he added.

Anwar said they also spoke about regional and global conflicts including that in Gaza, Ukraine, Iran and Israel.

He also spoke about his admiration for the rich Italian history, literature and art.

He mentioned how touched he was when reading about Dante’s Inferno, listening to the world-­famous song Caruso and how the works of Leonardo da Vinci had impacted the world.

His remarks brought loud and appreciative applause from the Italian audience at the meeting.

He said he watched how Italy transformed itself, embracing the AI (artificial intelligence) realm, “and I look forward to increasing cooperation with Italy”.

Anwar also met the Muslim community in Rome headed by Italian Muslim Community Asso­cia­tion deputy president Imam Yahya Pallavicini and Italian Cultural Centre secretary-general Abdellah Redouane to exchange ideas on strengthening the community’s development.

Earlier, the Prime Minister met translator Andrea Fais and Stefano Bonilauri, publisher of The Asian Renaissance, written almost 30 years ago.

“I’m touched that they chose to translate this into Italian,” Anwar said of his book that spoke about the rise of the Asian civilisation through culture, education and justice in the face of Western dominance.

“This effort will undoubtedly close the gap between Western and Eastern understanding, especially in a divisive world we live in.”