(by Massimiliano D'Elia) The United States is very resentful of the Chinese drift of one of its most important allies, Italy. All the American resentment appeared on the website of the Global Times, an appendix of the People's Daily. It is highlighted in the article that Rome's adhesion to the Belt and Road Initiative (Bri) "will in some way also influence US policy towards China", because Italy will be the first G7 country to become Bri partner.
The Global Time argues that if Europe follows the example of the United States and stays with the United States to contain China, it will not give up its position as an important pillar of the world. China, on the other hand, "gives a lot of value" to the support of EU countries for the BRI "and hopes to deepen cooperation with this platform".
The United States is headed to Italy: "We are very worried when Chinese President Xi will visit Rome and that Italy will sign the Belt and Road Initiative, because it would legitimize a political project, sending a wrong message to Beijing". Then they increase the dose The Italian approach to China would also jeopardize the collaboration between American and Italian companies, and the interoperability of NATO.
Two senior US administration officials, as reported by La Stampa, have explained the fears of the Italian choice: "Italy thus separates from the rest of the G7, and allows the Bri to penetrate Europe at the wrong time, because the Chinese effort to conduct its debt diplomacy is not working. In the last two years we have seen a worrying correspondence between the financing and development of infrastructures according to the Chinese model, and the problems that emerged in the participating countries, including the increase in unsustainable debt and inefficiency of projects. In many cases, such as Djibouti, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Pakistan, Venezuela, China has collateralised debt by seizing sovereign assets. Finally, there was also a net deleterious effect on transparency, corruption, and economic and institutional governance. Italy is a country of the G7, one of the closest and longest-standing allies of the US. It is a great economic player and a global brand. By signing the Bri, it would give official support to an approach that is having a negative impact on global economic governance. We have never told American companies not to sell their products to Bri, but the stamp of approval of a government would legitimize this approach to economic development that is antithetical to that of the market and the private sector".
The Italian Undersecretary for Economic Development Michele Geraci he said in this regard to "La Stampa": "The signature would have no geopolitical value. It is the exact opposite. There is no economic meaning, because China would invest in Italy and Europe anyway. He needs to do it because he is losing money in developing countries, and he must use his foreign currency reserves.
Opponents of the Bri agreement believe, instead, that the motivation is only geopolitical. The reason why China wants Italy to sign is to win a political victory for an initiative that is losing legitimacy everywhere, even in China itself. If they can do it with a member of the G7, breaking solidarity in the EU and pushing the US away from their allies, so much the better. "
The US, in addition to the Bri are opposed to the use of Huawei for the 5G system. Italy in this regard asks for further details on the real risks to cyber security. The Americans argue that with the Chinese and Huawei Nato projects are also at risk.
Americans then go down hard: "The signing of BRI would have an impact on bilateral relations. We have just talked about better aligning defense purchases, but Bri's signing could limit our ability to invest. We have many joint ventures with Italian, civil and military companies, such as Leonardo, finished goods, and components that come from both sides of the Atlantic. If the Chinese are present in these areas, there is a risk that this will prevent joint ventures from continuing on the profitable path they have taken, such as the ambitious F-35 program ”.
Then the Americans try to touch Italy in pride. Sri Bri, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and economies from all over the world in difficulty joined the Bri. It would be a serious damage to your global reputation.