Archive for ‘Italian Prime Minister’

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28/04/2019

Xi meets Italian prime minister

(BRF)CHINA-BEIJING-XI JINPING-ITALIAN PM-MEETING (CN)

Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, April 27, 2019. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

BEIJING, April 27 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday met with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, who attended the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing.

China highly commends Italy’s signing of a memorandum of understanding with China on jointly building the Belt and Road, taking the lead among major Western countries, according to Xi.

The country is ready to work with Italy in advancing the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and make the bilateral relations a model of Belt and Road cooperation between China and European countries, Xi said.

Xi called on both sides to firmly grasp the strategic significance of the bilateral ties, step up coordination and collaboration in improving global governance system and safeguarding free trade and multilateralism, and forge a new form of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness, justice and win-win cooperation.

Conte said the speeches delivered by Xi at the forum helped the international community understand the significant benefits of the BRI for the world.

Italy is firmly committed to participating in the BRI, he said, adding that the initiative is a good opportunity for the world and more countries will join.

Italy welcomes Chinese companies to invest in the country, and will not adopt discriminatory policies against them, Conte said, calling on the two countries to reinforce solidarity and cooperation, and safeguard multilateralism.

Source: Xinhua

Posted in Beijing, Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF), Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), bilateral ties, China alert, Chinese President Xi Jinping, cooperation, coordination and collaboration, fairness, free trade, Giuseppe Conte, global governance system, Italian Prime Minister, Italy, Justice, Memorandum of understanding, multilateralism, mutual respect, solidarity, Uncategorized, win-win cooperation | Leave a Comment »

25/04/2019

Belt and Road: China showcases initiative to world leaders

Aerial view of flower beds reading 'Chinese Dream' at Zhouji Green Expo Garden to welcome the 2nd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation on April 24, 2019 in Nantong, Jiangsu Province of China.Image copyright GETTY IMAGES
Image caption Flower beds reading ‘Chinese Dream’ welcome delegates to the Belt and Road forum in Beijing

World leaders are gathering in Beijing from Thursday for a summit on China’s Belt and Road initiative amid growing criticism of the project.

The sweeping infrastructure project aims to expand global trade links.

The initiative has funded trains, roads, and ports in many countries, but has left some saddled with debt.

Some see it as a bold bid for geopolitical influence, with the US particularly critical of China’s so-called “debt diplomacy”.

Chinese officials have tried to address concerns surrounding President Xi Jinping’s project, which is expected to involve more than $1 trillion (£774.9bn) in investments.

At the first day of the forum in Beijing, Chinese Finance Minister Liu Kun said China aims to make the Belt and Road initiative sustainable and to prevent debt risks.

Last year, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a speech Belt and Road was not a “geostrategic concept” but was part of efforts to build “a community with a shared future for mankind together with countries around the globe.”

Leaders from 37 countries and dozens of officials are due to attend the three-day summit, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte.

Italy recently became the first developed economy to sign up to China’s Belt and Road programme, raising concerns among its allies.

Western governments, and particularly the US, are increasingly wary of China’s growing influence.

The US, which has fought a trade war with China over the past year, has been particularly critical of the project.

Vice President Mike Pence said in a speech last year China was using “debt diplomacy” to expand its influence around the world.

Debt trap?

Other countries that are set to benefit from the project also seem to be growing more cautious.

Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Pakistan have all expressed concerns about the programme. Recipient countries worry about debt accumulation and increased Chinese influence.

Sri Lanka has been particularly affected – it had to hand over control over of a port to China in 2017 to help repay foreign loans.

Tom Rafferty, China economist at The Economist Intelligence Unit, said China is using this week’s summit to “reposition and, it hopes, revive the initiative after it lost its way in 2018 amid project delays and a slowdown in associated lending.”

Mr Rafferty said the Chinese government “wants to convince the international community that the Belt and Road Initiative is inclusive and policy concessions in areas such as debt sustainability” are likely.

Source: The BBC

Posted in Beijing, Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Belt and Road programme, China alert, China economist, Chinese Finance Minister, community with a shared future for mankind, debt diplomacy, developed economy, foreign minister, geostrategic concept, Giuseppe Conte, Italian Prime Minister, Italy, Liu Kun, Malaysia, Mike Pence, Pakistan, President Xi Jinping, Russian President, Sri Lanka, The Economist Intelligence Unit, Tom Rafferty, Uncategorized, US, vice-president, Vladimir Putin, Wang Yi, Western governments | Leave a Comment »

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