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Italian Minister: Involvement in the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative, a "cruel" decision

2023-07-30 13:15:23, Kosova & Bota CNA

Italian Minister: Involvement in the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative, a

Italy made an "improvised and cruel" decision when it joined the Belt and Road Initiative four years ago, after it had little effect on increasing exports, Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said.

Italy has signed the agreement for inclusion in this initiative under the previous government, thus becoming the only major Western country to take such a step.

Crosetto is part of an administration that is considering withdrawing from the deal without consequences.

The Belt and Road Initiative envisions connecting China to Asia, Europe and beyond through major infrastructure investments.

Critics see this plan as an opportunity for China to expand its geopolitical and economic influence.

Crosetto told Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera on Sunday that the key issue now is how to get out of the initiative without damaging relations with Beijing.

"Because it is true that Russia is a competitor, but it is also a partner", he said.

After a meeting with US President Joe Biden at the White House this week, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has said that her Government has until December to make a decision on the Chinese initiative, and has announced that very soon will also visit Beijing.

In an interview on Saturday with the Italian news program TG5, Meloni said that it is a "paradox" that although Italy is part of the Belt and Road Initiative, it is not the member with the strongest ties to China, in the group of seven countries most industrialized in the world – G7.

"This shows that you can have good relations and commercial partnership", even outside the Belt and Road Initiative, she said, among other things./ REL





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