Dongfeng Chinese cars, advanced negotiations for plant in Italy

Negotiations with the Chinese car company Dongfeng Motors are at an advanced stage with Mimit's foreign investment attraction unit for the construction of a production plant in Italy to act as a hub for the whole of Europe. The project could also involve Italian companies in the components sector and/or a minority public participation. In early July, the Minister of Enterprise and Made in Italy Adolfo Urso met the Chinese company's top management during his mission to Beijing precisely to discuss potential investments in Italy.

The technical meetings, which have been taking place over the past few days, have seen MIMIT's foreign investment attraction unit involved and, according to reports, both parties are very satisfied with the progress achieved so far, also in light of the recent support of the Italian and Chinese governments. In addition to Urso's mission at the beginning of July, it is worth mentioning that last week Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni went to China for an official mission on the sidelines of which a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Italian Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy and the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology for bilateral industrial cooperation on the subject of electric vehicles as well. Negotiations on Dongfeng's project to establish production facilities in Italy also aim to involve Italian component manufacturers, and the possibility of a minority shareholding by the state is not ruled out.