Q: According to reports, Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said on July 30 that the Italian government made an “improvised and atrocious” decision when it joined China’s Belt and Road Initiative four years ago as it largely increased China’s export to Italy yet did little to boost Italian export to China. The issue today is how to walk back without damaging relations with Beijing, because China is both a competitor and a partner. What is China’s comment?

A: The Belt and Road Initiative provides a new platform for practical cooperation between China and Italy, and Belt and Road cooperation has achieved numerous tangible outcomes in economy, trade and business cooperation. According to data by the Italian side, in the first five months of this year, Italian export to China surged by 58 percent year-on-year. Further tapping the potential of Belt and Road cooperation serves the interests of both sides.