China’s President Xi Jinping is scheduled to pay a visit to France, Italy and Monaco this week, as Rome has announced to join China’s “new silk road”, global trade infrastructure programme, Beijing’s foreign minister has said on Monday.
According to TOI news reports, Xi will address state visits from March 21 to 26, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lu Kang has said in an official statement, without providing further details over his itinerary.
Last week, an Italian official has said Rome would ink a non-binding MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) with Beijing in order to officially support Chinese president’s $1 trillion worth Road and Belt initiative, also called as the “New Silk Road”.
China has till now financed maritime, infrastructure, road and rail projects in Europe, Asia and Africa, but however, critics have warned that the projects mainly benefit the Chinese firm while setting up a “debt trap” in various financially vulnerable nations.
French President Emmanuel Macron has said last week following Italy’s announcement that EU nations should pose a “coordinated approach” with regards to China.
Macron said, “It’s a good thing that China is participating in the development of many countries, but I believe in the spirit of equality, reciprocity. The spirit of equality means respecting the sovereignty of nations.”