China's normative influence in Europe: the case of Sino-Italian relations under the Belt and Road Initiative

Boni, Filippo (2024). China's normative influence in Europe: the case of Sino-Italian relations under the Belt and Road Initiative. In: Roy, Indrajit; Eckhardt, Jappe; Stroikos, Dimitrios and Davidescu, Simona eds. Rising Power, Limited Influence: The Politics of Chinese Investments in Europe and the Liberal International Order. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 82–99.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780192887115.003.0005

Abstract

Italy’s decision to become the first G7 country to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2019 has sparked debates about China’s growing clout in Europe, and the political implications deriving from it. Against such a backdrop, the analysis assesses whether China’s economic activities in Italy have translated into political influence within the country. Conceptually grounded within the framework of strategic narratives, the empirical parts of the chapter draw on a critical discourse analysis of 219 articles published on the ANSA news agency website, as well as on the official statements and publications of one of Italy’s ruling parties, the Five Stars Movement, in the 2018–2022 period. The chapter argues that while claims that Italy has shifted its strategic posture as a result of its engagement with China are overblown, China’s influence in the country, among some political parties, has increased.