Italy, France and Germany to Lead EU Critical Materials Stockpiling Plan, Sources Say

By Pratima Desai and Julia Payne The European Union is pushing ahead with plans to stockpile critical materials, with Italy, France, and Germany set to take leading roles as the bloc moves to cut reliance on China, four sources with knowledge of the ...

Bangladesh’s Eurofighter Move Is To Counter India’s Rafales, Not a Break With China

Bangladesh’s air force has quietly moved closer to acquiring one of Europe’s most advanced fighter jets. In recent days, Bangladesh and Italy’s Leonardo signed a letter of intent in Dhaka for the purchase of Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft. While neither side disclosed numbers or pricing, outside estimates based ...

WEEK IN REVIEW: Kenya to Overhaul China Policy & Chinese Infrastructure in the DRC

Kenya has a new envoy to China, Willy Bett, who formally presented his credentials to President Xi Jinping this week. Among Ambassador Bett's first tasks will be to follow up on Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs Musalia Mudavadi's promise to craft ...

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 ...
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