The Italian Chamber of Commerce in China’s Chairman Lorenzo Riccardi presented the volume “The Italian Chamber of Commerce in China: Documents from the Historical-Diplomatic Archive of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1903–1924)” to ALIC (Associazione Lombardi in Cina – Lombardy Association in China).
The publication is dedicated to the historical foundations of Italy–China economic relations and is based on previously unpublished archival materials from the Historical-Diplomatic Archive of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During the presentation, Chairman Riccardi highlighted the importance of historical documentation in understanding the early institutional presence of Italy in China and the key role played by the Italian Chamber of Commerce during the first decades of the 20th century.
In this context, he also recalled how the earliest Italian entrepreneurial communities active in China were largely composed of entrepreneurs from Lombardy, whose commercial initiatives and institutional engagement contributed significantly to the establishment and development of the Chamber in its formative years.
Covering the period between 1903 and 1924, the volume offers a detailed reconstruction of the Chamber’s origins, activities, and institutional development, providing valuable insights into the evolution of bilateral economic and commercial relations. The event further provided an opportunity to reflect on the long-standing ties between Italy and China, underlining how historical research contributes to a deeper appreciation of today’s bilateral economic and commercial cooperation.
