On China-Italy Cooperation in Civil Aviation and Tourism Sectors in the Context of the Belt and Road Initiative

This article provides a review of the cooperation between China and Italy in the civil aviation sector and the tourism sector. While focusing on the rapid development of cooperation after the launch of the Belt and Road Initiative, the article also conducts a longitudinal historical study and a horizontal comparative study on the role of China-Italy civil aviation cooperation in the development of tourism between the two countries. In the context of the Belt and Road Initiative, the "China-Italy Action Plan for Strengthening Economic Cooperation" and the "]oint Communiqué of the ]oint Meetings of the China-Italy Government Committee" have repeatedly emphasized the importance of the cooperation in civil aviation sector. Moreover, China, Europe and Italy have signed several agreemenω to expand civil aviation cooperation, and China and Italy have launched several new direct flight routes. From 2013 to 2019, the tourism sectors of both countries have experienced rapid growth, and Italian visits to China and Chinese visits to Italy have grown tremendously, which could be largely due to the strengthening of bilateral cooperation in CIVIL aviation. This article also focuses on the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the civil aviation sector and the tourism sector on an international level in 2020. The authors analyze the challenges and opportunities faced by these two sectors which are also important p山ars of the international service trade. The article also looks into the prospect of the cooperation in civil aviation and the tourism sectors between the two countries with taking "China- Italy Year of Culture and Tourism 2022" as an opportunity.