Although Italy was not the only European country to join the Belt and Road Initiative, it was indeed the only country in the G7 to join the Belt and Road Initiative, and it was also the only Western power to join the Belt and Road Initiative. However, due to various considerations, Italy has previously announced its withdrawal from the "Belt and Road", a decision that once cast a shadow on the originally thriving Sino-Italian economic and trade cooperation.
As early as December last year, Italy officially submitted a note to China to withdraw from the Belt and Road Initiative. In order to retain and persuade Italy, our side had sent Liu Jianchao, director of the International Liaison Department of the CPC Central Committee, to Italy, hoping to persuade Italy in person, but regrettably, China's efforts could not change Italy's decision.
European countries joining the Belt and Road, source: China's Belt and Road Network
Recently, however, more than four months after withdrawing from the Belt and Road Initiative, Italy's attitude seems to have changed again, once again expressing its desire to strengthen economic cooperation and trade with China. Recently, during the visit of China's Minister of Commerce to Italy, Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Tajani publicly stated in front of the Chinese representative that Italy "attaches great importance" to Sino-Italian relations, and Italy hopes that Chinese enterprises, including new energy vehicle companies, will invest in Italy, and also hope that direct flights between the two countries can be opened. In addition, the Italian side has openly proposed that the Italian prime minister and president will soon pay a special goodwill visit to China. It is not difficult to see that the strength of the Italian side's goodwill towards China this time is indeed not small!
The opening of direct flights is conducive to the mutual exchanges between the Chinese and Italian peoples, as well as to the Chinese people who are interested in Italy's ancient history and cultural monuments. Therefore, according to the public information of relevant parties, the opening of a direct flight route to Italy by our side can almost be said to be certain. It is said that the new route will connect Shanghai with Venice, a famous historical and cultural city in northern Italy.
However, I believe that we still need to consider the investment of Chinese companies in Italy. After all, today's Italy is not the more pro-China and rational old Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte's reign, although the current Italian female Prime Minister Meloni is relatively young, but she is an out-and-out "conservative", has always been pro-Western, pro-American in the name of pro-West, pro-American. It is precisely because of this female prime minister's obstruction that Italy changed the relatively steady diplomatic thinking between the East and the West during the Conte period, and finally withdrew from the "Belt and Road" also has Meloni's "credit". Therefore, during the period when such a person is the prime minister of Italy, there is actually a great deal of uncertainty for Chinese companies to invest in Italy.
The author believes that if Italy is bent on investing in Chinese companies to boost Italy's weakening economy, then it needs to show sincerity, because Italy, as an old European power and an important member of the West, does have a certain say in the West. If Italy can play a role in persuading the West and the EU to open up the market to Chinese products, so that Chinese companies can open up the new energy vehicle market in the West, then China does have the motivation and value to invest in Italy. In other words, what the Chinese side is asking for now is what the West did in China in the past - exchanging investment for the market (I have to sigh that this is really "30 years in Hedong and 30 years in Hexi"!).
When meeting with the Italian side, China's Minister of Commerce actually mentioned that he "hopes that Italy will play a role and urge the EU to maintain a rational and open attitude in cooperation with China in the field of green and new energy". As for China's appeal, I hope Italy can understand it!