CHICAGO, March 27 (Xinhua) -- China and Europe are examples of two economic blocks that complement each other, an economics professor told Xinhua in a recent interview.

"As far as technological cooperation is concerned, Europe has a lot to offer to China, just as China has a lot to offer to Europe in terms of its huge market," said Khairy Tourk from the Stuart School of Business of the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago.

The small- and medium-sized companies in Germany are the backbone of the German economy. "It is no exaggeration to say that these companies would have a very difficult time surviving without the Chinese market," Tourk said.

On March 23, Italy signed a memorandum of understanding with China to jointly advance the construction of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, becoming the first Group of Seven nation to join the initiative.

"This is a very important development," Tourk said. "I would expect that many nations in Europe would follow the Italian example very soon."

The relationship between China and Europe "is moving in the right direction," the professor added.