NANJING - As a Chinese businessman living in Italy, Xu Xudong has become a fashionista. But, the 42-year-old dreams bigger. He wants to act as a bridge between China and Italy.

Xu is the president of DinDin Brand Management SRL, headquartered in Changshu, East China's Jiangsu province, and is also the chairman of an Italy-based Chinese entrepreneur association.

His firm is mainly involved in brand marketing and management in the fields of fashion apparel and accessories. It helps Chinese fashion brands go global and facilitates entry of brands from Europe into China.

Xu went to Italy with his parents 25 years ago, when many locals were taking advantage of China's reform and opening-up to go abroad and start businesses. He was deeply amazed by Italy's well-developed clothing market. "I made up my mind to help Chinese clothing brands enter the Italian market," he says.

When Xu returned to China in 2006, looking to start a business, he found that the domestic clothing brands were innovating and new ones were emerging, ready to make their mark on the international stage.

Xu set up his company in Changshu, home to more than 5,000 textile and clothing enterprises. The city boasts a gigantic apparel market and a complete clothing production and supply chain.

In 2013, he collaborated with Changshu's local brand Bosideng for promotion overseas. His company used marketing strategies, like advertising and runway shows, to build a reputation for the Chinese brand's cost-effectiveness in the high-end market of countries such as Italy. Today, Bosideng sells to more than 70 countries and regions.

"China is a huge consumer market, and more European brands want to enter this market," Xu says.

In 2020, Xu's company inked a deal with the Italian brand Butnot, aiming to bring overseas street fashion to the Chinese market despite COVID-19.

"Under the Belt and Road Initiative, I can feel the deepening of cooperation between China and Italy," he says.

"You can see more Chinese elements emerging in the Italian fashion industry."

Xu was invited as a representative to a governmental negotiation in 2019, during which a sister city relationship was established between Changshu and Italy's Taranto.

"It is my mission to take more Chinese styles to Italy and increase the charm of Italian fashion in China," he says.