The China-Italy Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Fair opened in Guangzhou on Friday, with Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi hailing it as an important opportunity to boost economic ties between the two countries.

    "I am heading a large delegation here to promote the Italy-China partnership," Prodi said at the opening ceremony.

    Prodi is leading a business delegation of about 700 entrepreneurs in finance, industry and trade.

    "The fair provides a good platform for SMEs in both countries to step up cooperation and seek common benefits," Chinese Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan said.

    Zeng said Prodi's presence at the fair demonstrated the great importance Italy has attached to boosting cooperation between SMEs from Italy and China.

    "Hopefully the SMEs in both countries can work together to combine China's human resources and manufacturing capabilities with Italy's strength in technology and design," Zeng said.

    Prodi said Italy welcomes more Chinese companies to develop trade ties with Italy, following on from his comments on Thursday when he said Italy would like to become "the gateway for China to enter the market of the European Union."

    More than 4,000 Chinese companies and 760 Italian companies are showcasing their work and products at the fair.

    Invited by Premier Wen Jiabao, Prodi's six-day official visit is the first top-level one from Italy since the former Italian president, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, made a visit in December 2004.

    Prodi's visit comes during China-Italy year, which involves a wide range of activities on trade, culture and science.

    The China-Italy trade volume hit 13.4 billion U.S. dollars from January to July this year, up 24 percent from the same period last year, according to statistics from China Customs.

    Prodi's trip will also take him to the port city of Tianjin, the eastern city of Nanjing as well as Shanghai and Beijing.