2023-07-29 05:00:00
Giorgia Meloni and Joe Biden, during their interview at the White House JONATHAN ERNST | REUTERS
Italy signed an agreement with Beijing in 2019 to participate in the commercial and infrastructure megaproject
29 jul 2023 . Updated at 05:00 h.
Although it has not yet been officially announced, Italy has decided not to renew the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China on collaboration within the framework of the New Silk Road, the initiative launched in 2013 by Beijing to strengthen trade and infrastructure links between China and the rest of the world, particularly Europe. Iberian Peninsula included: Portugal joined in 2018.
Although the Italian decision was not a surprise, it has not gone down well with Beijing. In it Global Times, daily of the Chinese Communist Party, an American journalist described Italy as an unconditional defender of American hegemony and affirmed that the decision to abandon the New Silk Road is dictated by military and political reasons; She also argued that for the far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, maintaining alignment with the aggressive and militaristic policies of the United States is more important than protecting Italian economic interests, despite the fact that the economic results of the transalpine country are by no means exceptional. . An editorial previously written by the editorial staff of the Global Times it denounced the pressure and influence of the United States and expressed the hope that Rome would avoid political interference.
When Italy signed the MoU in 2019 (it was the only G7 country to do so) it surprised many, both in Brussels and in Washington. The government at the time, a populist coalition between the 5 Star Movement (M5E, very supportive of dialogue with China) and the League (defender of dialogue with Russia) wanted to emphasize the new course of Italy, Eurosceptic and very little Atlanticist, oriented to results. concrete economics. The truth is that the MoU has not particularly strengthened Italian exports to China, which for Italian SMEs remains a very complex and distant market.
Like his predecessors, Mario Draghi, Giorgia Meloni has decided to return to Italy’s usual foreign policy, solidly linked to Brussels and NATO, and show more caution towards Beijing, Washington’s real concern. Hence also the fact that it was received this Thursday in Washington by President Joe Biden, who values Rome’s support for Kiev despite the fact that Matteo Salvini’s League (whose relations with Meloni have been tense in recent weeks) is also part of the government coalition.
For the United States, Italy is an important actor for the stability of the Mediterranean and Africa, as demonstrated by the presence of Italian forces in Lebanon and Niger. The transalpine country is a strong investor in Africa, whose hydrocarbons are essential for the Italian economy. But at the same time, the migratory flows through the Mediterranean are a serious problem for Rome. That is why Meloni has asked Biden for more support for Italian initiatives on the continent, for example, financial aid for Tunisia, in crisis. According to the Italian media, the two allies agreed to greater coordination on China.
Archived in: Italy China EE.UU. Giorgia Meloni
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