Italian PM Giorgia Meloni hints at quitting China's Belt and Road Initiative
Italian PM Meloni hints at quitting China's Belt and Road Initiative
Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni, on Sunday (September 10), said that leaving the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), also known as Silk Road, will not jeopardize her country's relations with China, further stating that the decision on this matter has yet to be taken, as per Italian media reports.
On the sidelines of the G20 Summit, the Italian PM met Chinese Premier Li Qiang and conveyed her plan to pull out of the BRI, as per the Italian media, Corriere della Sera daily reports.
During the press briefing on the last day of the G20 Summit, Meloni spoke about the conversation she had with the head of the Chinese government.
"A cordial and constructive dialogue on how we can deepen our bilateral partnership... 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," Meloni said at the conference.
"Leaving the Silk Road does not compromise relations, but the decision still has to be taken," the prime minister assured.
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"The Italian government was invited to the Belt and Road Forum, but yesterday we didn't talk about it," with the Chinese prime minister, Meloni said at the conference.
According to Italian media reports, the prime minister conveyed her intention to exit the strategic project to her Chinese counterpart.
However, one last attempt was made by Li Qiang in order to prompt the Italian authorities to think their plan over again.
It is pertinent to note that Italy was the only G7 country to have signed up for the BRI, a global trade and infrastructure plan modelled on the old Silk Road that linked imperial China and the West.
At the conference, PM Meloni also talked about Africa and said that the country was central to the work of the G20. "We also consider this to be our success. Africa will also be one of the central issues that we will bring to the G7 (under the Italian presidency) next year," she added according to Italian media.
(With inputs from agencies)
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