Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti has just touched down at the Beijing Capital International Airport. He's in China for the Bo'ao Forum for Asia, which opens Sunday in the southern island province Hainan.

Monti is the only European leader invited to attend this year's Forum. He's paying an official visit to China through Monday at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao.

Ahead of his trip, Monti spoke with Chinese media. He said the Bo'ao Forum provides an opportunity to discuss ideas and the prospects of regional economic development and the influence of the Asia-Pacific region on the global stage.

In 2010, China and Italy formulated an action plan aimed at doubling bilateral trade to 80 billion US dollars by 2015.