Chinese leader Xi Jinping gives moon dust to visiting Italian President Sergio Mattarella

The lunar samples, collected by the Chang’e-5 probe, follow similar gifts to the French and Russian presidents

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Chinese President Xi Jinping presented his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella with samples collected from the moon. Photo: CGTN

Published: 7:00pm, 9 Nov 2024

Chinese President Xi Jinping has given his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella a collection of soil taken from the moon by the Chang’e-5 lunar probe.

The gifts included 1 gram of samples scooped and drilled from the moon for research purposes and another 0.3 micrograms of soil held inside an ornament, state broadcaster CCTV reported.

Mattarella is on a six-day visit to China, which ends on Tuesday. Last year Italy, which was the only Group of 7 country to sign up to China’s Belt and Road Initiative, pulled out of the infrastructure project.

China has previously given French and Russian Presidents Emmanuel Macron and Vladimir Putin lunar soil. The Chang’e-5 samples are the youngest-ever soil brought back to Earth, offering insights into the moon’s recent history.

The country’s most recent lunar expedition, Chang’e-6 brought back samples from the far side of the moon and Beijing has invited international scientists to study them.

Xi and Mattarella also inspected a collection of Chinese cultural relics that had been returned from Italy as part of an agreement to prevent the illegal sale of historic items.

China’s National Cultural Heritage Administration said on Friday that Italy has returned 56 cultural relics and artworks to China.