Italy Formally Withdrawing From China’s ‘Belt And Road’ Initiative

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced a major shift in her nation’s foreign policy this week, as she officially announced Italy’s withdrawal from the global infrastructure project known as the “Belt and Road Initiative” (BRI). The Chinese communist government spearheads the project.

Italy was the first of the G7 nations to join the BRI in 2019. That step came under the leadership of former Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. Italy’s leftist government at the time claimed that membership would increase Chinese investment in Italian production and exports. At the time, the U.S., under the leadership of President Donald Trump, warned Conte that the move could lead directly to Chinese control over sensitive Italian technology and infrastructure.

Meloni has now declared that Italy’s expected economic benefits and growth through the BRI have not come to pass. In her statement regarding withdrawal from the project, she stated: “The tool of the BRI has not produced the results that were expected.”

The BRI was launched by the Chinese government in 2013 and is a cornerstone of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s foreign policy. The project is a primary focus of the Chinese Communist Party’s “Major Country Diplomacy” strategy, designed to assert China’s international political and economic influence.

The BRI comprises two primary components: the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. The Silk Road Economic Belt seeks to revitalize the ancient overland trade routes connecting Europe and Asia, primarily through road and rail transportation. Meanwhile, the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road focuses on developing sea trade infrastructure along the old Marco Polo route, encompassing Southeast Asia, Africa and Europe.  

The BRI now boasts the participation of 155 countries, encompassing nearly 75% of the world’s population and accounting for over half of the global GDP.  

Many Western experts see BRI as a mechanism that primarily benefits China at the expense of other participating members. The main critique revolves around “debt-trap diplomacy,” where countries might fall into debt dependency on China, losing sovereignty and political influence. There is also skepticism about China’s intentions, viewing the BRI as a tool to create economic and political influence for China globally, making participating nations dependent on China’s ability to produce cheap consumer goods.

Even though it is withdrawing from BRI, Italy has said this week it intends to continue strong economic and trade connections with China. An anonymous source in the Italian government told reporters that the nation planned to promote Chinese relations outside the BRI’s collaborative framework.

The Italian withdrawal could serve as a bellwether for other G7 nations seeking to restructure relations with China. Much of Europe is undergoing a populist shift rightward politically and voters are expressing a strong desire to build independence from Chinese production and imports.