Italy minister: joining China's Belt and Road was 'atrocious' decision

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

Italy minister: joining China's Belt and Road was 'atrocious' decision

Alvise Armellini
Updated Sun, July 30, 2023 at 11:23 AM EDT·2 min read

ROME (Reuters) -Italy made an "improvised and atrocious" decision when it joined China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) four years ago as it did little to boost exports, Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said in an interview published on Sunday.

Italy signed up to the BRI under a previous government, becoming the only major Western country to have taken such a step. Crosetto is part of an administration that is considering how to break free of the agreement.

The BRI scheme envisions rebuilding the old Silk Road to connect China with Asia, Europe and beyond with large infrastructure spending. Critics see it as a tool for China to spread its geopolitical and economic influence.

"The decision to join the (new) Silk Road was an improvised and atrocious act" that multiplied China's exports to Italy but did not have the same effect on Italian exports to China, Crosetto told the Corriere della Sera newspaper.

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Read more: https://news.yahoo.com/joining-chinas-belt-road-atrocious-084132833.html

[PortTack]

1. China is so screwed. Financially, population wise, pollution. It will take decades of common sense

Policy for them to recover if ever. Right now, Xi has no interest in common sense policies that would help the country and its ppl. Italy obviously did not do their homework when it came to joining the belt and road initiative.