“New silk road” – what a suggestive name. There’s a different, distant time sounds the same. Since the Chinese government has decided to guide six years ago, for many billions of the so-called Belt-and-Road project, with new roads, rail line and ports, don’t ask the world if that was the attempt of Beijing to the global trade order and the head to the West at all levels to challenge. Also, of course, politically. 65 countries would be affected.
found Earlier, in ancient times, the silk from the Chinese Empire road to the Roman. And so it is perhaps only a curious Wink the story that the Chinese year, thousands of negotiate later with the Romans. Trieste on the Adriatic sea, the old port town in the far North-East of Italy, could be an important Terminal for the Chinese trade. At least that’s the idea. And this intention is much excitement in Brussels and in Washington is causing just in Paris, London, Berlin. Uses Beijing Rome as a diplomatic bridge-head? And Trieste, Taranto and Genoa, as gateways to Europe?
The Lobbyist from Palermo
Italy is the first country from the Club of the G-7 countries, seems to be ready to support the controversial project officially. With a Declaration of intent. A few months ago, Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and industry Minister Luigi Di Maio of the Cinque point in Beijing, to make work. Very happy, the idea was not: Di Maio called China’s President Xi Jinping on the occasion of the “Ping”, which won him at home a lot of ridicule.
but Now the state is about to visit in Italy: From 21. to 23. March will be Xi Jinping with a group of Chinese business leaders in Rome, together with the Italians, a “Memorandum of Understanding” to the silk road. It may be that he makes on his journey is also a Stop in Palermo.
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From there, Michele Geraci, a skilled engineer and a great Lobbyist of China. Geraci is the under-Secretary in the Di Maios Ministry of economic development and was the Italians, until recently, completely unknown. Now he is regarded as “Signor Cina”, Mr China. Geraci, 52 years old, had worked prior to his move into politics as an investment banker in London and later as an Economics Professor at three Chinese universities. China was his passion, he has a good network, he also speaks Chinese fluently.
The biography and the hustle and bustle of the Sizilianers are Central in order to understand the potential alone of the Italians in this matter. While the Greeks, Portuguese, and Hungary, with the Chinese, the attached bond had against the Italians. But of the other major Western economy in Italy is powers the first. The US were first surprised, then open angry: unofficial Because we had to know the Italians, you risked in this case, a “serious damage” to its international credibility.
The tone was surprisingly harsh. Previously, Donald Trump had seen in the populist Roman government as an ally. The breaking of the taboo to the silk road is not the first rift. To took already Venezuela Rom a different line than the entire West, just like the argument about the influence of the Chinese Telecom group Huawei.
no to Paris to Beijing?
The new Solo is also in Italy controversial. The Opposition accuses the government, they’ll break in a panic with the old transatlantic Tradition of the country and fully engaged in a “political bloater in front of the imperialist China”. It does not agree that the new silk road, the Export of “Made in Italy” to help, as Di Maio ranged from the claim that existing transport routes. Critics are also surprised to learn that the Cinque point against a fast train link between Turin and Lyon were to be built in joint venture with the French. At the same time, they have but little concern in the case of an epoch-making great cooperation with the Chinese. Di Maio has been asked in the past few weeks, equal to twice of the parliamentary secret services Commission, to explain the background.
The Opposition accuses the government, you full of lead just a bloater in front of Beijing.
Even within the government, the skepticism is great. The rights Lega by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the interior, Matteo Salvini directs me to, they wanted to study the documents first, thoroughly, at first glance, the benefits for Italy are relatively low. In General, the Chinese are building their infrastructure, and even with their own company, as would fall for the Italian company nothing. And what security would be with the data, if the Chinese would offer a total package that Huawei is building the new mobile network in Italy, the 5G? to calm
the minds, said chief lobbyist Geraci now, for the visit of Xi Jinping you don’t work in an international Treaty, but only in a General paper: “three, four pages.” Binding the not. Whether the guest from China is the white? After all, he comes on a state visit. Maybe the detour then falls to Palermo from the program.
(editing Tamedia)
Created: 11.03.2019, 19:23 PM
