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 ...
Day: May 22, 2023
G7 Leaders Wrap Hiroshima Summit With a Get Tough Message for China
The leaders of the world's seven wealthiest industrial democracies closed their summit meeting in the Japanese city of Hiroshima on Saturday with a blunt message for China: stop causing trouble and play by the rules. The group of six Western countries and Japan ...
China Angry With Japan Over G7 Joint Statement, Labels Accusations as “Hype”
The Chinese government lodged a formal complaint to Japan over the wording of the G7 communiqué published over the weekend. Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Saturday that China felt it had been "attacked" and that a number of points ...
U.S. Conducting Due Diligence for Development of the Lobito Corridor in Southern Africa Where Chinese Interests Are Already Very Active
The United States government claims it has mobilized $30 billion so far through various public and private channels to build railways, data centers and other infrastructure initiatives in developing countries. The White House released an update on Friday of its ...
Papua New Guinea, Micronesia to Sign Agreement With U.S. as Pacific Island Countries Increasingly Take Sides in Great Power Rivalry
Pacific Island Countries (PIC) are the current focal point in the escalating competition for influence between the United States and China around the world. Both Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Micronesia signed defense agreements with the United States on Monday during ...
UBS Analyst Provides Upbeat Forecast on the Belt and Road, Challenging Skeptics Who’ve Already Written the BRI’s Obituary
If your media diet is predominantly from Western, Japanese or Indian sources, then it's quite likely you've seen one of the countless obituaries this year for China's Belt and Road Initiative. The narrative in articles like Foreign Policy's "China’s Belt ...
Analysis from Cobus van Staden
Awkward Timing as Italy Withdraws from BRI
DRC President Tshisekedi Will Have a Lot to Say to Xi Jinping When They Meet This Week
The Chinese government confirmed that DR Congo President Félix Tshisekedi will embark on a five-day official state visit beginning Wednesday that will also include a meeting with Xi Jinping. Speculation about the President's trip intensified over the weekend after it was revealed ...