Friends socialize at the opening ceremony of the GIX building in Seattle in the United States.[Photo Pprovided to China Daily]

A new China-Italy research hub in Milan is a step further to embrace the world. Zhang Zefeng reports.

During a visit by the Italian President Sergio Mattarella to China this February, President Xi Jinping and Mattarella witnessed the signing of bilateral cooperation agreements aimed at deepening ties across various fields including culture, innovation, education and trade.

At the signing ceremony held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, the China-Italy Design Innovation Hub in Milan was formally established as part of the strategy.

Fast forward to Nov 13, where influential politicians, scholars and entrepreneurs from both countries assembled at Tsinghua University to attend the inauguration ceremony of the China-Italy Design Innovation Hub and the launch of the Tsinghua Arts and Design Institute in Milan.

Based on a long-standing collaboration between Tsinghua University and Polytechnic University of Milan, the hub and the institution are expected to develop innovation in education and help bridge the gap between the design industries of the two nations.

The China-Italy Design Innovation Hub will be Tsinghua University's first educational and research base in Europe.

It is an important part of Tsinghua's global strategy, and will boost ties between the two countries in the fields of education, scientific research and the cultural industries, says Qiu Yong, president of Tsinghua University.

The agreement was deemed as "historic" by Ferruccio Resta, president of the Polytechnic University of Milan. It fits with the process of the internationalization favored by the university, but also benefits students, enterprises, and beyond, he adds.