Rome [Italy], Mar 23 (ANI): Italy signed on Saturday a Memorandum of Understanding with China to join the Belt Road Initiative (BRI), becoming the first member of the G-7 grouping of industrialised countries to do so.The pact was signed here by Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte and visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping who is on a three-day visit to Rome since yesterday.The Italian government says the goal of the MoU is largely symbolic and has no legal value, and points out to the fact that other European countries, like Malta, Greece and Portugal, have already signed something similar.But the criticism in the country and outside has been loud and strong, and not without reasons.Many analysts and experts, besides those backed by China, are extremely worried about the potential consequences of opening the country to Chinese projects.Italy is looking for money, and the MoU has been pursued not only by this Government but by the Renzi and Gentiloni governments too.But while a ...
