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Awkward Timing as Italy Withdraws from BRI

Italy has announced its formal withdrawal from the Belt and Road Initiative after joining the China-centered infrastructure and investment project in 2019. The timing of the announcement that Rome won't renew its BRI commitment is notable. It came only a day before the ...

Analysis from Cobus van Staden

Awkward Timing as Italy Withdraws from BRI

Italy has announced its formal withdrawal from the Belt and Road Initiative after joining the China-centered infrastructure and investment project in 2019.
The timing of the announcement that Rome won’t renew its BRI commitment is notable. It came only a day before the EU-China summit, which kicks off on Thursday. The summit will likely be more contentious than usual, with European leaders expected to push China on the treatment of EU firms amid discussions ...

Ajay Banga in Africa to Rally Support for World Bank Leadership Amid Stand-off With China

Ajay Banga, U.S. President Joe Biden’s nominee to head the World Bank, is on a ‘listening tour’ of Africa to drum up support for his nomination. Banga kicked off his visit to the continent in Ivory Coast and Kenya. As a veteran ...

Senior U.S. Diplomat Criticizes China’s Role in Sri Lankan Debt Restructuring

Yet another U.S. government official has added to the war of words between Washington and Beijing on debt restructuring. Ramin Toloui, Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs at the US Department of State, was asked about China’s ...

Controversial China Square Shopping Mall Re-Opens in Nairobi, Prompting Heated Debate About Chinese Imports

Nearly two weeks after being shuttered due to protests from competing traders, China Square, a Nairobi shop selling inexpensive Chinese imports, is back in business. This follows talks between the Kenyan authorities and the local Chinese chamber of commerce. It seems that ...

Huge Lithium Deposit in Found in Iran

The Iranian authorities say they found the world’s second-largest deposit of lithium in the mountainous province of Hamedan. At an estimated 8.5 million tons, the Hamedan lithium haul would be second only to Chile’s estimated 9.2 million ton deposit. It could ...

History’s Solution to the China-U.S. Debt Standoff

By Kevin P. Gallagher History is repeating itself, but Western leaders are experiencing a selective memory loss that is preventing learning the lessons of that history.  If developing countries are to mobilize the necessary resources ...