Good ties with China possible without BRI
Good relations with China are possible even without being part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) deal, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said in an interview published yesterday, as her government weighs abandoning the project.
Italy is the only major Western country to have joined China's BRI scheme, which envisions rebuilding the old Silk Road to connect China with Asia, Europe and beyond with large infrastructure spending.
In an interview with Il Messaggero daily, Meloni said it was too early to anticipate outcome of Italy's decision on whether to remain part of the project, which it signed in 2019, drawing criticism from Washington and Brussels.
"Our assessment is very delicate and touches upon many interests," said Meloni. The pact expires in March 2024 and will be automatically renewed unless either side informs the other that they are pulling out.
In an interview with Reuters last year, before she won power in a September election, Meloni made clear she disapproved of the 2019 move.
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