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

Improvised and atrocious' decision in 2019 made Italy the only major western member, says Guido Crosetto, the defence minister

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.