Gearing Up for Asia: Italy's Game Plan at Expo 2025 Osaka
Tajani Downplays Tariffs Concerns, Urges Attention in Asia Direction
Italy's Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, brought the spotlight to the Italian pavilion at the upcoming Expo 2025 in Osaka, addressing the ongoing issue of US tariffs and their impact on exports. Regardless of the 90-day wait on tariffs, Tajani believes it's crucial to "work on all fronts" and tap into Asia's booming markets, such as Central Asia, Vietnam, South Korea, Japan, India, Philippines, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand.
Tajani's Tenacious Approach
With a focus on these new markets, Tajani aims to strengthen them and reinforce Italy's presence in Asia, both industrially and commercially. "We believe this region is of great interest," he said.
To achieve this goal, the Italian government has decided to convert all embassies and consulates into operational centers to support businesses. Gone are the days of ambassadors in uniform; today, they must be economic promoters. Moreover, there's a push to reform the Farnesina with a stronger emphasis on growth diplomacy.
A Catalyst for Growth: Italy's Presence at Expo 2025
The inaugural day of the Italian pavilion saw a meeting between business associations, companies, and entities of the Italian System. Barbara Cimmino, Vice President for Export and Attraction of Investments of Confindustria, described Expo as a "multiplier of opportunities" for Made in Italy, an accelerator of economic and cultural relations in one of the world's fastest-growing areas.
With 28 million visitors expected, not just from Japan but also from rapidly expanding markets like China, India, Indonesia, and Vietnam, Italy's presence at Expo 2025 fits into a strategic ecosystem to foster new partnerships.
As a symbol of industrial, scientific, and cultural cooperation, the Italy Pavilion at Expo 2025 presents sustainable, digital, and inclusive solutions, expressing Italy's ability to intercept new global demands and attract investments.
Beyond Expo: Italy's Ambitious Goals in Asia
Beyond Expo, Italy's strategies for enhancing its Asian presence include a revival and deepening of ties in Central Asia through diplomatic visits and multilateral forums. The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also launched an Action Plan to support Italian companies in expanding exports and international presence in strategic non-EU markets, including key Asian economies. The plan includes institutional and business delegations abroad, financial export support, and overseas offices for facilitating market entry and growth.
In this ambitious quest, the Italian government is committed to furthering its cultural, economic, and political influence across Asia while simultaneously strengthening partnerships and fostering new opportunities for Italian businesses and exports.
- In light of the US tariffs and their impact on exports, Italy's Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, is focusing on the Asian market, as he sees it as a promising region for Italy's business growth.
- Recognizing the importance of Asia, the Italian government is transforming all embassies and consulates into operational centers to support businesses, turning ambassadors into economic promoters.
- Moving beyond the Expo 2025 event, Italy's strategies for enhancing its Asian presence include reviving and deepening ties in Central Asia, launching an Action Plan to support Italian companies in expanding exports and international presence in key Asian economies, and fostering new opportunities for cultural, economic, and political influence across Asia.
