Bumpy Silk Road for Italy's Workers?
Jamie Dettmer
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte will sign up his country Saturday to China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), an ambitious trillion-dollar transcontinental trade and infrastructure project. The memorandum signing in Rome is the centerpiece of Chinese President Xi Jinping's three-stop visit to Europe and it will make Italy the first G-7 nation to participate in China's so-called New Silk Road.
Italy's endorsement of the BRI, which spans Eurasia as well as the Middle East and parts of Africa, has prompted the disquiet not only of the United States, but also of European Union leaders, who have voiced concern about Beijing's growing political clout in Europe and its use of commerce as a tool of statecraft. The U.S. has been critical of the trillion-dollar project and warned about the risks of "debt-trap diplomacy." Members of the EU are worried the plan could add to fissures in an already strained coalition.
They aren't alone in worrying about what the longer-term consequences on Italy might be if signing up for BRI moves from symbolism into full participation. Matteo Salvini, head of the populist Lega party, which represents one-half of Italy's coalition government, is indicating his opposition by staying away from the signing ceremony and won't be present at a scheduled gala dinner afterward.
Read more at: https://www.voanews.com/a/china-new-silk-road-may-hurt-italian-workers-analysts-say/4842895.html
Even
Seb Gorka spoke a little about the BRI yesterday... maybe the podcast is even available for
March 22nd, 2019, Friday's show if one is really interested.
One of the broadcasters, maybe it was Seb said you could listen to his shows free while a number of them have it that you have to pay to hear the rebroadcast, it could be that is because he's still a relatively new announcer. Good show.
