Italy Considers Withdrawing from China’s Belt and Road Initiative amid Pressure
Italy’s Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, announced on Sunday during a press conference at the Group of 20 (G20) leaders’ summit in Delhi that the country has yet to make a final decision regarding its participation in China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Italy is currently the only Group of 7 industrialized nation that is still a signatory of the BRI, a global trade and infrastructure initiative launched by Chinese President Xi Jinping ten years ago.
With Italy assuming the rotating presidency of the Group of 7 developed economies in 2024, it is facing increasing pressure to reconsider its relationship with Beijing in order to appease its western allies. As geopolitical alignments shift and the global economy ruptures, Rome’s decision will likely set a precedent for other countries contemplating an exit from the BRI.
Giulio Pugliese, a lecturer at Oxford University’s School of Global and Area Studies, suggests that if Italy collaborates with Beijing in their withdrawal, without resorting to informal sanctions or retaliations, it could inspire other Western and Eastern European countries, many of which are skeptical of China’s role in the initiative. Pugliese particularly mentions Baltic states and Central European countries as potential candidates for exiting the BRI.
China’s Belt and Road project is an intricate network of infrastructure connections spanning Asia, Africa, Europe, and Latin America, encompassing railways, pipelines, roads, and highways. Italy’s current government believes that its membership in the initiative has not provided enough economic benefits. The country has until December to decide whether to formally withdraw from the BRI, or its membership will be extended for another five years.
Meloni, who met with China Premier Li Qiang during the G20 summit, expressed Rome’s intention to deepen dialogue with Beijing on various bilateral and international matters. However, her comments followed the announcement of a plan by U.S. President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to establish a network of railways and sea routes connecting India, the European Union, and Middle Eastern countries. The initiative aims to be a transformative regional investment and is seen as a counter to China’s influence in the energy-rich Middle East, as well as a competitor to the Belt and Road initiative.
Meloni acknowledged that there are European nations that have managed to form more favorable relations with China in recent years, despite not being part of the Belt and Road initiative. She emphasized the need to ensure a mutually beneficial partnership with China, regardless of Italy’s decision on the BRI.
As Italy deliberates its future with the BRI, the global community will closely observe the potential impact of its withdrawal, as well as the implications it may have on the future of the initiative.