The Belt and Road Initiative in Italy. Five Case Studies (original) (raw)
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Rome, IAI, September 2021, 25 p. (IAI Papers ; 21|40), ISBN 978-88-9368-219-0, 2021
What are the elements and the impact of the inclusion of scientific cooperation within the 2019 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in support of the Belt and Road Initiative between Italy and China? Like many other developed countries, Italy has played a role in contributing to China’s growth as a science and technology (S&T) power. Most S&T bilateral collaborations are decade-long and predate the MoU, suggesting that the importance of the latter is largely symbolic. Nonetheless, the MoU of March 2019 has reinforced the process of centralisation of S&T collaborations as well as a public debate that has grown to include matters regarding 5G technology and public procurement involving Chinese technology.
Timing Is Everything: Italy Withdraws from the Belt and Road Initiative
Rome, IAI, December 2023, 5 p. (IAI Commentaries ; 23|67), 2023
Eventually, Italy has withdrawn from China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), marking the epilogue of a long and laborious diplomatic process that has reflected a gradual reassessment of its strategic interests. Even though joining the BRI has not provided Italy with any significant economic benefit, it is geopolitics rather than economics that lies at the heart of Italy’s decision: staying in the BRI amidst increasing US-China and EU-China tensions had become politically hardly tenable. The protracted timeframe of the withdrawal, started under the Draghi government in 2021, was driven by Rome’s resolve to defuse any potential blowback from China. The efforts of Italian diplomacy appear to have paid off. China’s government as well as state and state-adjacent media, along with the country’s tightly managed social media, have for now ignored news of the Italian withdrawal from Xi’s flagship foreign initiative.
The Belt and Road Initiative Impact on Europe: An Italian Perspective
China & World Economy, 2017
This paper analyzes the impact of the Belt and Road Initiative on Europe with a specific focus on Italy. We concentrate on the impact of new railways and port infrastructures on bilateral trade. Our analysis suggests that the development of new railway connections will benefit most of the Northern and Central European countries. Some industries like automotive and electronics that have a higher value to weight ratio will benefit more than others. However, due to higher costs, railway services will never reach a high percentage of total import/export flows. Investment in new port facilities, although less "new" compared with railways, may be a bigger game changer. The development of the Port of Piraeus has already increased the importance of the Mediterranean Sea as an import/export hub for China. If the other planned investments in Egypt and Algeria are completed, this phenomenon will be magnified. This presents a huge challenge for Italy. The Italian port in the high Adriatic Sea could be displaced by Piraeus capacity, especially if this port is linked through railways with the center of Europe. Italy needs to coordinate its ports together with its railway network to take advantage of Belt and Road Initiative opportunities.
China's New Silk Road: Italy's Disconnect from the European Union or its Survival Strategy
What explains why some established and economically developed countries like Italy embrace China’s new Belt and Road Initiative, while others have not? This paper seeks to research this question by exercising a comparative analysis between two of the European Union’s largest and founding members - Italy and Germany. I examined multiple circumstances that encompass Italy’s economic standing, from its use of a technocratic government to the disruption in relations with the European Union under the leadership of Silvio Berlusconi. Because of constant economic strain, mishaps during the Covid-19 pandemic, and lack of impactful funding from the European Union, I develop an argument that if given the opportunity, a country will work outside of the use of intergovernmental organizations in pursuit of its own self-interest, survival of its economy, and toward a stronger diplomatic future-even if it binds them to China. The status of Italy’s economic disparities among its peers in the European Union and the overall return on diplomatic and socio-economic investments build toward the formula of fragmentation.
China in Italy: Risk Assessment and Preventive Solutions
Rome, IAI, December 2021, 35 p. (IAI Papers ; 21|52), ISBN 978-88-9368-235-0, 2021
Italy's 2019 decision to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with China in support of the Belt and Road Initiative sparked a heated debate at home and abroad. The possibility of Italy upgrading its trade and investment relations with China through the shortcut of a political endorsement of President Xi Jinping's flagship foreign-policy initiative was framed as either a heaven-sent opportunity or a serious strategic threat. Two years on, most of the concerns pointed out in the debate, especially regarding infrastructures, have proven unsubstantiated (although the economic opportunities for which the Italian Government wished have also failed to materialise). However, cooperation initiatives between Italian and Chinese entities in sectors often overlooked in the mainstream debate, such as media and academic partnerships, do present risks. The creation of an interagency China Information and Coordination Unit would help to preventor, at least, to minimise-such risks.
Rome, IAI, March 2019, 16 p. (IAI Papers ; 19|05), ISBN 978-88-9368-097-4, 2019
Italy wants to be the first G7 nation to sign a Memorandum of Understanding on the Belt and Road Initiative, China’s massive infrastructure and connectivity project. Through the Memorandum, Italy seeks more market access in China for Italian companies and “Made in Italy” products, as well as more Chinese investments in Italy under the Initiative framework. Besides commercial considerations, there are important geo-strategic implications to consider. Italy’s endorsement of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s signature foreign policy initiative undermines European Union efforts at finding a common stance vis-à-vis Beijing. It also weakens the position of the United States in its tug-of-war with China over trade and global leadership. Remarkably, it is Italian populists in power in Rome – though there are differences between the two coalition partners – who are willing to defy their mentor in the White House by helping China drive a wedge in the Euro-Atlantic alliance.
PART 1 - The Belt and Road Initiative: Strategic Motives. The International Reactions
The Alpha Institute of Geopolitics and Intelligence
In October 2013, during the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit, Xi Jinping announced the project of a New Silk Road, known as Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The BRI is an extremely complex project which has implications and objectives at all levels, from the pursuit of economic and commercial gains to the re-negotiation of China’s political-strategic position in the international arena. The cornerstone of this series of analyses is that the rapidity and enthusiasm with which China has leaped into the project of creating a network of infrastructural corridors, capable of transporting goods more rapidly and cheaply, betrays the existence of a specific economic necessity. Indeed, China appears willing to strengthen connections – diplomatic and political, but first of all economic – with countries not traditionally belonging to its area of influence, in particular countries situated on the European continent. The fact that China is willing to commit to building a colossal network of infrastructures tells a story about its expectation. Following a series of commercial accords (e.g. the 2019 Memorandum with Italy), there will be a greater flow of goods, people, and capitals from and to the countries involved in the BRI. However, this project is not happening in the void, but it’s integrated into a broader geopolitical scenario that must be analyzed, so as to point out the shifts in international relations that the BRI might cause.
Making Sense of Five Years of China's Belt and Road Initiative
Future Directions International , 2019
Over the past five years, China has invested a significant amount of diplomatic capital in launching and promoting its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The Chinese leadership and stateowned media have projected the BRI as a brand-new Chinese initiative to foster transcontinental physical, economic and digital connectivity. Since its launch in 2013, however, the initiative has taken complex twists and turns, generating a mix of optimism and apprehension around the world. With Italy, a G7 country, endorsing the BRI, the debate about the initiative's promises and pitfalls has only intensified. While the United States, Japan, Australia and India often signal that the BRI is a strategic initiative with revisionist
The New Silk Road and the Impact on the Italian Production System
Chinese Business Review, 2020
The present work analyzes the asymmetric relationship between China and Italy with a specific focus on the impact of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) on the Italian production system. With this analysis, it comes to light the importance of China as a partner both for the industrial system and for the Italian production system. The analysis of investments flows and trade to and from China in Italy evidence the potential benefits that the development of logistic infrastructure along the BRI, with specific reference to railway and maritime networks, could bring to Europe and Italy, as well as the quality of logistics infrastructure, comparing them also to others European Countries, using the performance index, such as Logistic Performance Index (LPI). In fact, it is evident that reducing transport costs and strengthening the infrastructure systems in several countries that are part of the BRI could gain benefits. However, the issue is to understand and examine if, in an asymmetric structural economic and political situation, the result would be win-win, or instead the advantages would be redistributed unequally.