Italian companies are stepping up expansion in China as the two countries deepen cooperation across trade and industry, with firms eyeing fresh opportunities in niche markets at a time of accelerating bilateral ties.
Marfuga, a premium olive oil producer from Umbria, is among those seizing the moment, bringing a centuries-old tradition into a fast-developing Chinese market.
"We started working with the Chinese market about 10 years ago, when olive oil culture in China was in its early stages and there were only commercial oils. Since then, the market has developed significantly," said Francesco Gradassi, CEO of Marfuga.
"Our products are available on JD.com and Tmall, and through these channels we're also communicating that olive oil is not just a condiment but is also valued for its health benefits," he said.
Sicoma, a global leader in the concrete mixing industry, entered the Chinese market in 2000 with a joint venture in Zhuhai City, south China's Guangdong Province. Since then, the company has ridden China’s construction boom to remarkable growth, scaling up from hundreds of mixers in its early years to thousands annually.
"From 200 mixers in two years, then 500 and 1,000 up to 4,000 mixers in a year, [we] reached several times along the last 25 years," said Luca Galletti, managing director of Sicoma.
The model Sicoma pioneered in China has since been replicated in other international markets, highlighting how the country has become a proving ground for Italian firms.
The experiences of Marfuga and Sicoma reflect a broader trend of Italian businesses expanding in China, where finding the right niche is key, said Enzo Faloci, director of Umbria Export.
"We have to find which are the very niche markets in which the high technology, creativity and the quality of the Italian products can be competitive," said Faloci.
Italian companies scale up in China amid stronger trade ties
Military clashes have escalated in western Yemen, with reports of intense fighting between Houthi forces and so‑called Saudi‑backed "mercenaries" in Al‑Hawk district in the northern part of Hodeidah province, Iran's Tasnim News Agency reported on Saturday.
UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg on Friday warned of a growing risk of renewed large-scale conflict in Yemen amid escalating attacks by the Houthi group against Saudi tankers and Yemeni government forces.
In a statement, Grundberg pointed to the latest attacks by the Houthis in the provinces of Marib and Hadramout, which reportedly caused significant casualties, including civilians, as well as "attacks on commercial shipping" in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
He expressed concern over strikes on civilian infrastructure including airports, and the broader escalation of regional tensions.
Taken together, these developments risk jeopardizing gains from the 2022 truce, Grundberg said, warning that they could draw Yemen into "a broader regional confrontation."
Grundberg noted he had held intensive discussions in recent weeks with Yemeni parties, regional actors and international partners to explore options for de-escalation.
He called on all parties to exercise "maximum restraint," halt actions that could trigger military retaliation and engage in good-faith negotiations under UN auspices.
Yemen has been mired in conflicts since late 2014, when the Houthis seized much of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in 2015 in support of the internationally recognized Yemeni government.
A UN-brokered truce that took effect in April 2022 expired in October that year without a formal extension, though a fragile de facto ceasefire has largely held since then.
The Houthi group announced a maritime ban on Saudi shipping in July, citing what it called a Saudi blockade against Houthi-controlled areas, a claim that Riyadh has firmly rejected.
Military clashes escalate in western Yemen: report
