Italy yet to decide on Belt and Road initiative as China’s Xi plans to visit Europe

Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit Italy, France and Monaco from Thursday until March 26, the Foreign Ministry said on Monday. Italy’s coalition government has sent mixed signals over whether it will sign a proposed agreement to join China’s trillion-dollar Belt and Road infrastructure investment drive, AP reports. The initiative aims to expand commerce by building ports, railways and other infrastructure across more than 60 countries from the South Pacific through Asia to Europe and Africa. Projects under the initiative have faced complaints that they leave host countries with too much debt, and with too little work going to local companies. Italy’s Undersecretary of State Guglielmo Picchi tweeted earlier this month that Italy should not sign the agreement.