Antonio Fatiguso: Blue sky in Beijing, just a question of time

Antonio Fatiguso, Beijing bureau chief of ANSA Agency, is interviewed on "Beijing in My Eyes-Conversations with Chief Correspondents" show broadcast by Radio Beijing International. Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn

Chinese people are well aware of the legendary story of the Italian merchant Marco Polo traveling all the way through the ancient Silk Road to China and introducing the mysterious oriental giant to the western world after his return 700 years ago. However, maybe not many know that Italy, or Ancient Rome to be exact, marks the end of the ancient Silk Road connecting east and west.

"China's Belt and Road Initiative means great opportunities for Italy," said Antonio Fatiguso, Beijing bureau chief of ANSA Agency, Italy. "I'm very positive on the further cooperation of the two countries and I think it's something that is underway. I think the bilateral ties will improve, not just in the economic field, but also from (the) cultural perspective, such as film co-production," he said in an interview during a show called "Beijing in My Eyes-Conversations with Chief Correspondents" presented by Radio Beijing International.

The show, officially launched on Sept 2, features interviews with Beijing-based chief correspondents and heads of foreign media who share their stories on changes and development of the city in the past five years.

Antonio, a native of Puglia, a region in southern Italy, has worked as a journalist for almost 20 years, starting from Milan and New York. After that, he was ANSA's Tokyo bureau chief for around eight years. In January 2016, he took over as the Beijing head. He said his assignment in Beijing was a kind of destiny that brought him to the great country.

However, Antonio admitted that before he moved to the city, he used to worry about Beijing's air pollution, especially during winter. Now after two winters in Beijing, he has changed his mind.

"I think the situation is getting much better now," he said. "If we think about the history of some Western countries, there is something really similar. When a country is growing fast, some problems are related to growth. In general, the first step is to earn the bread. And then step by step, it's possible to improve the living quality, including air quality. Beijing is now making great efforts in cleaning air and blue sky, it's just a question of time," the veteran journalist added.

Antonio Fatiguso, center, Beijing bureau chief of ANSA Agency, is interviewed on "Beijing in My Eyes-Conversations with Chief Correspondents" show broadcast by Radio Beijing International. Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn

Italy has hosted two winter games in its history, one in Cortina d'Ampezzo in 1956 and the other in Turin in 2006. Given that Beijing and its neighbor Zhangjiakou are to host the winter Olympics in 2022, Antonio believes that Italy's unique advantages puts it in a good position to benefit from the Games.

"There is an Italian way to deal with everything. It's kind of unique passion, something you can feel. Because of this passion, both Italian food and fashion stand out on the world stage."

The first time Antonio visited Beijing was back in 2010 when he transiting to DPRK. He made the time to visit the Forbidden City, where he was overwhelmed by the magnificent ancient architecture and its abundant culture and history. The historical part of the city remains his favorite. For him, the hutongs, the Bell and Drum Tower, the 798 parks are places worthy of endless exploration.

"It takes time to preserve the ancient buildings. But it's important to think it in a strategic way that they are part of our history and culture. It's also important from the tourists' point of view, a way to improve the economy. Italy is also blessed with a lot of amazing buildings and tour sites. We should share our experience in the preservation," Antonio said.

In the coming weeks, more guests will join the special series of interviews, "Beijing in My Eyes-Conversations with Chief Correspondents" presented by Radio Beijing International. The 7-episode series will be aired on Radio Beijing International through 92.3FM and 774AM in late September. People can also find more videos, words and pictures on CRIonline, China Daily, China.org, huanqiu.com, Beijing This Month Publication, Beijing Time as well as the official website, weibo and wechat accounts of Radio Beijing International.