Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to finalise a BRI Memorandum of Understanding during his official visit to Italy on March 22-23. Beijing sees Italy as a priority for its Maritime Silk Road, considered vital to China’s ever-growing wealth maritime strategy, including greater access to Northern European markets. After acquiring a 51% state in the Greek port of Piraeus in 2016, China has bought positions in the ports of Venice and Genoa and is expected to strike a similar deal with the city of Trieste. Italy ranks number three in the EU when it comes to Chinese investment. Meanwhile, Rome runs a €16 billion trade deficit with Beijing.

(Comment: Xi Jinping's visit will come within a day of France moving a resolution in the EU describing China as an "economic competitor" and calling for imposing technology restrictions on it.)