Italy May Exit China’s Belt and Road Initiative, Dealing Major Blow

“Italy will decide if [to] stay or not [to] stay in the Belt and Road Initiative. In the parliament, many parties are against it.”

Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani addresses a press conference at the end of a G7 foreign ministers' meeting at Karuizawa Prince Hotel in Karuizawa, Japan, on April 18, 2023. Franck Robichon/Pool/AFP via Getty Images

Italy’s foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, says that being a part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) didn’t bring his country the expected economic benefits.

“The Italian Parliament is checking the situation. In this moment, the countries without the Belt and Road Initiative, the European countries, are working better than us,” he said on Sept. 2 on CNBC, ahead of his three-day trip to Beijing.