Xi's book published in Italian, Albanian

Italian government officials hailed President Xi Jinping's view that development must be conducted in a "peaceful, civilized and harmonious way", calling it the foundation for global development, as the Italian edition of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China was presented in the Italy's Senate of the Republic recently.

The book now has been translated into 23 languages, with its Italian edition launched in Rome and the Albanian edition launched in Tirana. According to the publisher, the Foreign Languages Press, the book has sold more than 6.5 million copies in 160 countries and regions since it was first published in September 2014.

Pietro Grasso, president of the Italian Senate, praised Xi's book for its focus on "reforms, sustainable development, fighting corruption, diplomatic relations and so on."

Li Ruiyu, the Chinese ambassador to Italy, said Sino-Italian relations are the best they've ever been, making it perfect timing to release the book, which is expected to help Italians get to know China better.

At the launch ceremony for the Albanian edition, held on Friday in Tirana, Albanian President Ilir Meta said the book can help Albanian scholars, diplomats and other professionals, as well as general readers, to better understand China.

"Sino-Albania relations are becoming increasingly close and with mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields," Meta said, emphasizing that Albania and China attach great importance to strengthening cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.

"The publication of the Albanian edition of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China will promote Albanians' understanding of China and enhance the cooperation between China and Albania under the Belt and Road Initiative," Chinese ambassador to Albania Jiang Yu said.

The 566-page book outlines the political ideas of China's top leadership and contains 79 speeches, talks, interviews, notes and letters of the top Chinese leader between November 2012 and June 2014.