![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-10-18/011/20251018_011_02_63.png\")
\nMILAN — In the heart of Milan, just steps from the famous Brera Gallery, a cozy neighborhood restaurant is drawing locals with an unexpected yet delightful combination: Chinese braised dishes paired with Italian wine.
\nAt ZioZio, many Italian food enthusiasts are discovering the flavors and traditions behind Sichuan-style Chinese braised cuisine. The region's humid climate and use of Sichuan peppercorns have shaped a distinctive preference for numbing, spicy and aromatic flavors, often found in dishes meant to be savored slowly.
\nDiners are often surprised to find how seamlessly these rich, layered flavors complement Italian wines, creating a unique interplay between East and West.
\n"We wanted to create a restaurant for the local community from the very beginning," says Wang Haoran and Zeng Xiaotang, two young art graduates — one specializing in music and the other in design — who founded ZioZio after completing their studies in Italy. "By pairing Chinese braised dishes with the red wines Italians love, we hope to spark curiosity about new flavor combinations and introduce more people to the richness of China's regional food cultures."
\nTheir concept has resonated with Milan's locals. "In recent years, more authentic Chinese cuisines have appeared in Italy and Europe, offering greater variety and cultural experiences that people truly appreciate," says regular customer Gianluca Corrias.
\nZioZio's snug space of 15 square meters often hums with the lively chatter of locals. Some guests drop by after work to enjoy wine with braised beef and bamboo shoots, while others linger to chat with friends. Ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Wang and Zeng prepared mooncakes, inviting Italian customers to taste the traditional treat and learn about the holiday's meaning.
\n"The dishes here are authentic, not the tourist kind," says customer Caterina Cecconi. "I've never been to China, but now I really want to visit and meet more Chinese people."
\nIn Rome, another small eatery is also winning hearts with authentic Chinese flavors. Jiamo Lab, named after its signature snack roujiamo, a traditional Chinese flatbread stuffed with braised meat, has become a local favorite, even appearing on popular media recommendation lists.
\nLocated near a 460-year-old city wall designed by Michelangelo, Jiamo Lab offers not just food but also stories. The restaurant's walls are lined with information about the origins of roujiamo and its birthplace, the ancient city of Xi'an in Northwest China's Shaanxi province.
\n"When we dine here, we're drawn to the cultural stories on the walls. They make us want to learn more about Chinese history," says customer Simona Baltieri.
\n"Chinese cuisine is an ideal way to share our culture," says owner Hu Chenqiang. "With Xi'an roujiamo, we naturally talk about the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) and the Terracotta Warriors."
\nFor decades, Chinese cuisine abroad often meant fried rice or sweet-and-sour pork. Now, a new generation of Chinese restaurateurs is changing that perception, introducing authentic regional specialties, from Sichuan snacks to Xi'an street food, across Italy and the rest of Europe.
\nHu is determined to stay true to traditional flavors. "The more confidence we have in our own culture, the more interest foreigners will show in it," he says.
\nInside Jiamo Lab, visitors can also find information about China's visa-free policies and guidance on using mobile payment apps, part of Hu's effort to help curious diners prepare for future trips to China.
\nHu says he hopes his restaurant will become a genuine part of local life, encouraging cultural exchange, especially among young people.
\nRegular customer Francesca Fatica believes these efforts go beyond food. Authentic Chinese cuisine is more than food, it is a bridge between cultures too, she says. "It's time to showcase more of China's traditions, allowing the world to see the true richness of Chinese culture."
\n\nMILAN — In the heart of Milan, just steps from the famous Brera Gallery, a cozy neighborhood restaurant is drawing locals with an unexpected yet delightful combination: Chinese braised dishes paired with Italian wine.
\nAt ZioZio, many Italian food enthusiasts are discovering the flavors and traditions behind Sichuan-style Chinese braised cuisine. The region's humid climate and use of Sichuan peppercorns have shaped a distinctive preference for numbing, spicy and aromatic flavors, often found in dishes meant to be savored slowly.
\nDiners are often surprised to find how seamlessly these rich, layered flavors complement Italian wines, creating a unique interplay between East and West.
\n"We wanted to create a restaurant for the local community from the very beginning," says Wang Haoran and Zeng Xiaotang, two young art graduates — one specializing in music and the other in design — who founded ZioZio after completing their studies in Italy. "By pairing Chinese braised dishes with the red wines Italians love, we hope to spark curiosity about new flavor combinations and introduce more people to the richness of China's regional food cultures."
\nTheir concept has resonated with Milan's locals. "In recent years, more authentic Chinese cuisines have appeared in Italy and Europe, offering greater variety and cultural experiences that people truly appreciate," says regular customer Gianluca Corrias.
\nZioZio's snug space of 15 square meters often hums with the lively chatter of locals. Some guests drop by after work to enjoy wine with braised beef and bamboo shoots, while others linger to chat with friends. Ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Wang and Zeng prepared mooncakes, inviting Italian customers to taste the traditional treat and learn about the holiday's meaning.
\n"The dishes here are authentic, not the tourist kind," says customer Caterina Cecconi. "I've never been to China, but now I really want to visit and meet more Chinese people."
\nIn Rome, another small eatery is also winning hearts with authentic Chinese flavors. Jiamo Lab, named after its signature snack roujiamo, a traditional Chinese flatbread stuffed with braised meat, has become a local favorite, even appearing on popular media recommendation lists.
\nLocated near a 460-year-old city wall designed by Michelangelo, Jiamo Lab offers not just food but also stories. The restaurant's walls are lined with information about the origins of roujiamo and its birthplace, the ancient city of Xi'an in Northwest China's Shaanxi province.
\n"When we dine here, we're drawn to the cultural stories on the walls. They make us want to learn more about Chinese history," says customer Simona Baltieri.
\n"Chinese cuisine is an ideal way to share our culture," says owner Hu Chenqiang. "With Xi'an roujiamo, we naturally talk about the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) and the Terracotta Warriors."
\nFor decades, Chinese cuisine abroad often meant fried rice or sweet-and-sour pork. Now, a new generation of Chinese restaurateurs is changing that perception, introducing authentic regional specialties, from Sichuan snacks to Xi'an street food, across Italy and the rest of Europe.
\nHu is determined to stay true to traditional flavors. "The more confidence we have in our own culture, the more interest foreigners will show in it," he says.
\nInside Jiamo Lab, visitors can also find information about China's visa-free policies and guidance on using mobile payment apps, part of Hu's effort to help curious diners prepare for future trips to China.
\nHu says he hopes his restaurant will become a genuine part of local life, encouraging cultural exchange, especially among young people.
\nRegular customer Francesca Fatica believes these efforts go beyond food. Authentic Chinese cuisine is more than food, it is a bridge between cultures too, she says. "It's time to showcase more of China's traditions, allowing the world to see the true richness of Chinese culture."
\n![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-10-17/011/20251017_011_01_50867.png\")
China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi (right) talks with Emmanuel Bonne, diplomatic adviser to the French president, in Hangzhou on Wednesday.
\nChina and France have pledged to strengthen strategic mutual trust, deepen cooperation and enhance multilateral coordination, as Emmanuel Bonne, diplomatic adviser to the French president, concluded his two-day visit to China on Thursday.
\nVice-President Han Zheng met Bonne in Beijing on Thursday, while Foreign Minister Wang Yi co-chaired on Wednesday the 27th China-France Strategic Dialogue with Bonne in Hangzhou, a historic cultural city and tech hub of eastern China's Zhejiang province. The dialogue took place three months after Wang visited France for the meeting of the China-France high-level dialogue mechanism on people-to-people exchanges.
\nWang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that China and France should build "a more strategically stable and forward-looking" relationship, adding that Beijing is willing to "enhance high-level exchanges, deepen strategic mutual trust and advance all-round cooperation" with Paris.
\nHe noted that China's next five-year plan for national economic and social development, to be deliberated at the upcoming fourth plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China Central Committee, will bring new opportunities for cooperation between China and France.
\nHe called for continued cooperation in traditional sectors while exploring new growth areas, such as artificial intelligence, the green and digital economy, new energy, biomedicine and financial services, as well as tapping into the potential of local-level cooperation.
\nDespite "shocks to the global economic order", bilateral trade and two-way investment have continued to rise, which, Wang noted, demonstrates the "strong resilience and vast potential" of pragmatic cooperation between the two countries.
\nFrance is China's third-largest trading partner and source of investment within the European Union, while China remains France's largest trading partner in Asia. In 2024, bilateral trade reached $79.58 billion, up 0.8 percent year-on-year, and two-way investment exceeded $26 billion in total.
\nNoting the international system is facing "unprecedented challenges", Wang expressed China's readiness to strengthen multilateral coordination and mutual support with France under the UN framework, uphold genuine multilateralism, safeguard the free trade system, and promote a more just and equitable global governance system.
\nBonne reaffirmed that France firmly upholds the one-China policy and welcomes Chinese enterprises to invest in the country, while pledging to provide a "safe and predictable" business environment. France, he added, opposes trade wars and bloc confrontation, and stands ready to work closely with China to address global challenges.
\nOn China-EU relations, Wang said that China and the bloc have "no geopolitical conflicts or fundamental clashes of interest". He expressed hope that France will encourage the EU to uphold true strategic autonomy and cultivate an objective perception of China.
\nThe strategic dialogue was the latest in a series of intensified interactions between Wang and senior European officials. Wang concluded his visits to Italy and Switzerland last week and also hosted Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares Bueno in Hangzhou on Wednesday.
\nCui Hongjian, director of Beijing Foreign Studies University's Center for European Union and Regional Development Studies, said China and France have maintained close exchanges at all levels, achieving steady progress across various fields.
\n"As a core EU member, France's strengthened strategic dialogue and mutual trust with China will help set a positive example and elevate overall China-EU relations," he added. He stressed that the EU should avoid imposing artificial restrictions on engagement with Beijing and should work with China to counter deglobalization and unilateral bullying amid rising geopolitical tensions.
\nJian Junbo, deputy director of the Center for China-Europe Relations at Shanghai-based Fudan University, said, "The more turbulent the international situation, the more prominent the strategic value of China-France relations becomes."
\nHe noted that, as two permanent members of the UN Security Council and major independent powers, China and France must coordinate closely to prevent the escalation and spillover of regional hotspots while jointly safeguarding global and regional peace and stability.
\nzhaojia@chinadaily.com.cn
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