During a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in New Delhi, Italian PM Giorgia Meloni outlined her government’s plan to pull out of the China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Decision to Leave the BRI
“[Meloni] communicated the intention to quit the project to her counterpart,” the Corriere della Sera daily reported, saying that Li had made a final attempt to persuade Meloni to rethink the decision.
Other Italian newspapers said in their reports that Meloni had also assured Li that her decision had not been dictated by the US.
“Italy and China share a Global Strategic Partnership whose 20th anniversary will recur next year and which will be the beacon for the advancement of friendship and cooperation … in every area of common interest,” a statement from Meloni’s office read.
Speaking about her discussion with Li at a G20 press briefing, Meloni said it was “a cordial and constructive dialogue on how we can deepen our bilateral partnership.”
Italian PM now addresses the connectivity project launch.
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) September 9, 2023
PS: Italy is planning to exit BRI https://t.co/Bmb9kSQXA6 pic.twitter.com/qjEiajFSWK
“I intend to keep my commitment to visit China... It makes more sense to go to China when we have more information on our bilateral cooperation and how to develop it,” she said.
On the subject of the BRI, she stated: “Leaving the Silk Road does not compromise relations, but the decision still has to be taken.”
Growing Opposition to BRI
In recent months, the Italian government has faced growing internal and external pressure to exit the China-led development initiative.
Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said in July that his country’s decision to join China’s flagship infrastructure scheme was “wicked.”
Crosetto said that “the choice to join the Silk Road was an improvised and wicked act, made by the government of Giuseppe Conte, which led to a double negative result.”
“The question now,” Crosetto added at the time, “is how Italy can withdraw from the BRI without damaging relations with Beijing.” He described the Asian superpower as “a competitor, but also a partner.”