Italy Officially Withdraws from China's Belt and Road Initiative

Italy has officially announced its withdrawal from China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), becoming the first major Western nation to do so. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's administration notified Beijing ahead of the year-end deadline, citing concerns over the initiative's financial sustainability and potential debt-trap diplomacy. Italy, the largest EU member to have joined the BRI, had received only a fraction of the promised investment from China. The move comes as Italy seeks to maintain good relations with China while pursuing a more pro-Western and pro-NATO foreign policy.