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 ...
Country: Papua New Guinea
Three Pacific Islands Leaders to Skip Annual Bloc Summit Amid China-U.S. Rivalry
The leaders of Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Solomon Islands will not attend this week's annual Pacific Islands Forum, hampering the consensus-based group’s efforts to project unity as China and the United States jockey for influence in the region. The three ...
Xi’s Speed Diplomacy on the Sidelines of the Belt and Road Forum
Xi Jinping’s presence at the Belt and Road Forum was dominated by his keynote address during which he announced a raft of new initiatives. However, he also engaged in speedy rounds of bilateral meetings and hosted a banquet on Tuesday night. ...
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 ...
Biden’s Canceled Trip Framed as All About China
U.S. President Joe Biden’s decision to cut his Asia-Pacific trip short to deal with debt ceiling negotiations with Republican counterparts is drawing criticism. After attending the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, Biden would have been the first U.S. president to visit Papua New ...
Domestic U.S. Politics Undermine Washington’s Ability to Challenge China’s Influence in Asia-Pacific
U.S. President Joe Biden will leave for Japan on Wednesday to attend a G7 leaders summit in Hiroshima, but rather than continue on to Australia and what would have been a landmark visit to Papua New Guinea (PNG), he'll head straight back to Washington instead.
