Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has met US President Joe Biden at the White House, reaffirming the strong bilateral relationship and their will to strengthen cooperation to respond to the challenges posed by China.

Meloni’s visit to Washington DC on Thursday comes ahead of the upcoming Italian presidency of the G7 nations in 2024, and is part of a foreign relations’ strategy that she is pursuing in Europe and abroad to strengthen Italy’s international role.

Biden welcomed Meloni at the White House saying they had "become friends," even if at first the US president was “wary” of Italy's conservative leader.

"Our relations are strong," Meloni said at the beginning of the Oval Office meeting. "They cross governments and remain solid regardless of their political colours. We know who our friends are in times that are tough."

From his side, Biden complimented Italy on what he defined a “strong stance” on the war in Ukraine, which Rome has pledged to support both militarily and financially, until needed.

China challenge

In a joint statement, the two leaders also emphasised their will to strengthen dialogue on the "opportunities and challenges posed by the People's Republic of China."

Meloni has to make a decision in the coming months over whether to maintain Italy's membership in Beijing's Belt and Road (BRI) infrastructure plan, a program which Washington has been fiercely opposing.

Italy in 2019 became the first and only G7 nation to join China's initiative, which critics say would give Beijing control of key technologies and infrastructures.

Meloni said in May it was possible to maintain good relations with Beijing without being part of the plan, suggesting it may exit the agreement.

On Thursday Meloni also announced she plans to visit China in one of her next diplomatic trips, when she could meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.