Third year of collaboration between the Italian and Chinese police forces in joint patrols. The number of Italian visas for China is growing, thanks also to greater confidence and security
The joint patrols between the Italian and Chinese police forces return to Beijing, the innovative project that sees the two countries united in a patrol activity in the eastern cities of China, the result of a high level of cooperation on security matters. The common goal is to assist Italian travelers in China and facilitate communication with local police forces in case of need.
The initiative is in its third edition in China with a collaboration that has contributed to increasing security and confidence, if it is true that in the last two years the number of Italian visas for China has grown by 18% and, also in 2019, the data speak of an increase in 16% if compared with the same period last year.
The services will involve personnel from the State Police and from the Carabinieri Corps who, together with the Chinese police, will jointly patrol 4 city of the People's Republic: Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing and Guangzhou, tourist destinations for tens of thousands of visitors from all sides of the world.
The program was presented today in Beijing, with the excitement of national anthems played by the local police band, during a ceremony organized by the Ministry of Public Security, in the presence of the Italian Ambassador Ettore SEQUI and the Deputy Chief of Police, Deputy Director General of Public Security, Prefect Vittorio RIZZI.
Ambassador Sequi said: "Joint patrols are an excellent example of cooperation between our two countries. In the last three years Italian and Chinese patrol boats have helped to strengthen collaboration in the public security sector and increase tourist flows in the two countries. Also thanks to initiatives like this, Italy has established itself as the first tourist destination in the European Union for Chinese travelers. This is a result that we want to consolidate especially in view of the Bilateral Year of Culture and Tourism that we will celebrate in the 2020 ".
Satisfaction in the words of Prefect Rizzi: "Consolidating the Italy-China security alliance also through joint patrols in our countries is a priority to counter criminal threats, which today have no borders, and increase the confidence to raise the cultural and economic standards. Our policemen and carabinieri will work with their Chinese colleagues, and on their return, if they do not write "Il Milione" by Marco Polo, they will bring home an extraordinary professional and human experience ".
In recent years, even in Italy, Chinese police officers have been received who, together with the Italian police, have patrolled the cities of Rome, Milan, Florence, Venice and Prato. And to strengthen the exchange of information and mutual trust, some of the same operators who have already worked with them in Italy will have reached this year the Chinese colleagues in the four cities involved in the patrols, so as to continue a professional and human relationship that has already had excellent results.