Italian Minister: Joining China's Belt and Road Initiative Was a Bad Decision

Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto stated in an interview published today, Sunday, that his country "made a hasty and terrible decision when it joined the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative four years ago, as it has done little to boost exports." In an interview with the newspaper "Corriere della Sera," Crosetto said: "The issue today is: how do we withdraw from the Belt and Road Initiative without damaging relations with Beijing? It is true that China is a competitor, but it is also a partner." Italy joined the Belt and Road Initiative under a previous government, becoming the only major western nation to take such a step. The Belt and Road Initiative aims to reconstruct the ancient Silk Road to connect China with Asia and Europe and beyond through massive infrastructure spending.