20 September 2006 :

"Yesterday and today, we brought up the issue of the death penalty with various members of the government of the People's Republic of China, hoping for a commitment in the reduction of crimes for which it is applicable,” stated Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs Gianni Vernetti, Senator of the Olive Branch Coalition, visiting Beijing together with Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi.
“We also announced Italy’s intention to present, in a few days time, a resolution at the United Nations General Assembly for a universal moratorium on the death penalty.
We also discussed problems relating to religious freedom, freedom of the press and the urgency of mirroring the positive economic reforms commenced by the People’s Republic of China with significant progress in the conservation of basic freedoms and human rights”.