Beijing interested in Italian ports, mission in Trieste
source: agichina.it 09/07/17
A further sign of China's interest in Italian ports comes from the visit of a delegation of the Ministry of Transport of People’s Republic of China to the Trieste Port Authority, from 10 to 12 July, during the 14th Implementation Meeting of the Eu-China Maritime Agreement. Among the delegates also representatives of Cosco.
The real challenge of the relaunch of connectivity promoted by China through the Belt and Road Initiative, for Italy seems to be played by ports. Despite the failure of the agreements with Gioia Tauro, the strategic position of our country in the Mediterranean keep on arousing Chinese interest. Italy therefore wants to offer two options: the High Adriatic and the High Tyrrhenian, and the government is already working on it. Starting from Trieste, which with the decree implemented on June 27, has been recognized as an international free port, the only one in Europe. The port of Trieste therefore seeks to play a leading role in the maritime silk road of the 21st century, and it is also demonstrated by the cooperation agreement for the development of intermodal logistic areas signed on 9 June with the port of Duisburg, an important area in Europe for its connection with Chongqing. The Italian Prime Minister Gentiloni, during his visit to China, showed Italy's interest in actively participating to the Belt and Road Initiative. Now we have to waiting for concrete developments.