The Deputy Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy, Valentino Valentini, visited Bangkok from October 2-4. The mission was also attended by a delegation from the Lombardy Region led by President Attilio Fontana, and by Leonardo’s President, Ambassador Stefano Pontecorvo.
During the visit, the delegation – accompanied by Ambassador Paolo Dionisi – met with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul, Minister of Industry Pimpatra Wichaikul, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Jakkapong Sangmanee and Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt, as well as representatives of Thailand’s main economic institutions, including the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), the Federation of Thai Industries, the Chamber of Commerce of Thailand and the Board of Investment (BoI).
On Oct. 4, Deputy Minister Valentini opened together with Thai Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs Sihasak Phuangketkeow the seventh edition of the High Level Dialogue on ASEAN-Italy Economic Relations – organized by The European House Ambrosetti, together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, the Italian Embassy, the Italian Trade Commission and the Thai-Italian Chamber of Commerce – which was attended by institutional representatives and economic leaders from several ASEAN countries. As part of the HLD, Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP) organized the seminar “Fostering Italian-ASEAN Investments: The Role of Private Capital” and the Italian Trade Commission organized BtoBs between Italian and ASEAN companies.
The Deputy Minister, together with President Fontana, also chaired a meeting of representatives of the Italian Chambers of Commerce in the ASEAN region. The delegation then visited the offices of the Eastern Economic Corridor, the iconic One Bangkok real estate development project, the headquarters of Minor Group, and took part in the inauguration of the new factory of the Italian company Vittoria in Samutprakan, Vittoria Cotton Tyres Factory, dedicated to the production of high-quality cotton bicycle tyres.
Deputy Minister Valentini then traveled to Phnom Penh, accompanied by Ambassador Dionisi and Leonardo’s President Pontecorvo, where he met with some representatives of the new Cambodian government, including Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sok Chenda Sophea, Minister of Industry Hem Vanndy, and Undersecretary for Trade Tekreth Kamrang.
The main objective of the mission – which is in line with the Italian government’s new strategy towards the Indo-Pacific region, also in view of Italy’s upcoming G7 presidency – was to revitalize Italy’s bilateral relations with Thailand and Cambodia, as well as to verify new opportunities for trade and investment with the two countries, and to strengthen collaboration at the multilateral level.
