China tells US to mind its own business after Italy is warned not to join Belt and Road Initiative
- Foreign ministry in Beijing says US stance is ‘laughable’ after White House warned Italy’s image would suffer abroad if it signed up for the programme
China’s Foreign Ministry told Washington to mind its own business on Wednesday after US officials warned Italy that its international image would suffer if it signed up for the Belt and Road Initiative, an ambitious intercontinental infrastructure programme.
Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told a press briefing in Beijing that Rome does not need Washington’s advice on conducting its affairs.
“This position taken by the US side is laughable,” Lu said. “As a major country, Italy knows exactly what policies serve its own interests and it can make its decisions independently.”
Lu was responding to a report by the Financial Times that Italy planned to sign a memorandum of understanding on joining the Belt and Road Initiative when President Xi Jinping visits the country later this month.
Michele Geraci, the undersecretary in the Italian economic development ministry, told the newspaper: “The negotiation is not over yet, but it is possible that it will be concluded in time for [Xi Jinping’s] visit.”
But White House National Security Council spokesperson, Garrett Marquis, told the Financial Times that the Belt and Road Initiative was unlikely to help Italy economically and could significantly damage the country’s international image.