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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
World
Staff and agencies

Italy seeking to leave ‘atrocious’ China Belt and Road plan without harming ties – minister

Workers take down a Belt and Road Forum panel  in Beijing in 2019.
Workers take down a Belt and Road Forum panel in Beijing in 2019. Italy’s defence minister has panned the decision to join the BRI and said the country was working out how to leave the initiative without damaging ties. Photograph: Greg Baker/AFP/Getty Images

Joining China’s vast Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was an “atrocious” decision, Italy’s defence minister has said, and the issue was how to leave it without damaging ties with Beijing.

Guido Crosetto said in an interview published on Sunday that the move made four years ago under a previous government had done little to boost exports, while Chinese exports to Italy had soared.

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