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China and Italy on Wednesday signed two memorandums of understanding on two cooperative projects whereby Italy will help China improve education and health systems in its central and western provinces.
Chinese Vice-Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation (MOFTEC) Long Yongtu and Italian Ambassador to China Paolo Bruni attended the signing ceremony in Beijing Wednesday afternoon.
Under the memorandums, Italy will provide equipment and technology worth 4.37 million euros (about US$4.14 million) to China's central and western provinces to improve elementary education and basic health systems.
According to the MOFTEC, the China-Italy development cooperation, launched in 1981, has made steady progress in the fields of first aid care, agricultural development, health care, education, cultural relic protection and human resources.
MOFTEC statistics showed that by the end of 2002, the Italian government had promised to provide China with aid worth US$144.7 million.
So far both countries have completed 30 projects costing US$94.31 million. Another 12 projects involving a total of US$44 million are still in operation.
(Xinhua News Agency January 16, 2003)
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