ROME The United States is an important ally for Italy more than China, Luigi Di Maio, the Italian Foreign Minister, stated Monday.Standing alongside Antony Blinken (U.S. Secretary Of State), Di Maio stated that Sino-Italian commercial relations "are absolutely uncomparable" with Italy's alliance and partnership with NATO and the EU.The United States expressed concern about Italy's relations with China in the past, especially after Di Maio signed his country up for Beijing's Belt and Road infrastructure initiative. He was also economic development minister in 2019.Mario Draghi, who became the Italian prime minister in February and led a government of national unity has been emphasizing Italy's commitment to the transatlantic relationship."Let me make it very clear," Di Maio stated, Italy's alliances to the U.S. NATO, EU and NATO "are not only strategic alliances but alliances that are values which enable our democracy face issues such as violations human rights."He said, "Italy has been a strong commercial partner to China, and we have had historical relations. But they do not compare to and do not interfere in our alliances of value with the U.S.A, NATO, and the EU."The previous Italian government hoped that China would invest more in its economy by endorsing Belt and Road. This was a hope for the country, which had been stagnant for over ten years.The move by Italy to enter China's sphere caused some consternation in Washington. It was made after the European Commission labeled Beijing as a systemic competitor.Italy, which received the largest amount of the EU's post-pandemic recovery fund at 209billion, has less need for Chinese investments.Rome was a participant in the U.S. initiative Build Back Better World earlier this month. The White House describes it as "a constructive initiative that meets the enormous infrastructure needs low- and mid-income countries," offering them a "positive option to China".Blinken expressed appreciation for Di Maio’s approach to China. He said, "I think all of us recognize the complexity relationship with China... adversarial competitive and sometimes cooperative."Blinken said: "The common factor is approaching [these complexes] together, and that's what we are increasingly seeing."POLITICOPOLITICO
