In a message to the United States and neighboring European countries, Italian Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio assured everyone concerned that there was really nothing to worry about the country's decision to join China's Belt and Road Initiative. Over the weekend, Italy officially became the first European country and Group of 7 nation to join China's ambitious expansion initiative. Italy's decision has sparked concerns from the United States and other European countries.
In a statement made before the official signing of the agreements with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Di Maio told reporters that they have already maximized all precautionary measures to make sure that there were no problems with the deals.
The deputy prime minster also directly addressed the United States' security concerns stating that the memorandum of understanding (MOU) that was going to be signed didn't contain anything related to establishing a 5G network in the country. Di Maio also reiterated that Italy is an ally to the United States and it will not be giving any strategic telecommunication contracts to China.
Chinese Presiden Xi Jinping visited Rome over the weekend to sign a total of 29 new deals, which are reportedly worth more than US$2.8 billion. According to reports, the deals were mainly for projects in the agricultural, energy, and finance sectors. There were also agreements on opening Italy's engineering and energy sectors to Chinese firms. The official signing of the deals was attended by China's National Development and Reform Commission chairman and Italy's Labor and Industry Minister. The ceremony was held at Villa Madama in Rome, Italy.
The United States and other western nations had previously criticized China's Belt and Road Initiative as nothing more than a debt trap and a way for the country to spread its geopolitical influence. China has mentioned that it aims to build a vast infrastructure that would link it to Europe and Africa. The new "silk road" would greatly expedite the import and export of goods to and from the country.
However, some countries are concerned that there may post a possible national threat if China is given too much access to other countries' infrastructures. The United States, in particular, is concerned that allowing China to build different internet and communications infrastructures in other countries may give them the power to spy on public and government information.
In this regard, Di Maio assured its allies that none of the deals had involved 5G of telecommunication projects. He also mentioned that he was going to be meeting with his US counterparts during his visit to Washington next week to discuss Italy's new links to China.
