Italian Prime Minister Meloni’s Visit to China Marks Shift in Bilateral Cooperation
Italian Prime Minister Ms Meloni’s recent trip to China has been described as a “demonstration of the will to begin a new phase, to relaunch our bilateral cooperation.” During her visit, the two countries signed an agreement aimed at boosting cooperation on electric vehicles and renewable energy.
In a statement released by his office, Premier Li of China expressed the goal of increasing “mutually beneficial cooperation between small and medium-sized enterprises in the fields of shipbuilding, aerospace, new energy, and artificial intelligence.”
Italy’s decision to join China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), despite criticism from the US and other Western nations, was a significant move. However, since coming to office in 2022, Ms Meloni has pursued a more pro-Western and pro-Nato foreign policy, leading to Italy’s withdrawal from the BRI.
Alicia Garcia-Herrero, chief economist for the Asia Pacific region at investment bank Natixis, commented on the shift, stating, “Without BRI [membership] Meloni is coming to China at a different level of engagement – less as a vassal and more as a partner.”
Under Ms Meloni’s leadership, Italy has taken steps to protect its interests, such as blocking a Chinese state-owned company from acquiring tyre making giant Pirelli and supporting the European Commission’s imposition of tariffs on electric vehicles imported from China.
Despite these recent developments, two-way trade between Italy and China reached 66.8 billion euros (£56.3bn) last year, solidifying China as Italy’s largest non-EU trading partner after the US. Ms Meloni’s visit marks a significant shift in the relationship between the two countries, emphasizing a new era of cooperation and partnership.
