“The China? We cannot become subordinate to their raw materials»- Corriere.it

FROM OUR REPORTER
WASHINGTON – “The Silk Road is a decision that our government will take autonomously, it being understood that China was, is and will be a major trading partner – said Minister Adolfo Urso, on a visit to Washington -. China is a great country with which we can develop agreements and I also hope that Chinese investments in our country will increase in sectors in which they can give a lot for development, let’s think of green technology or the electric battery supply chain».

Urso added that “there are strategic sectors in which the national interest and national security must prevail”. The Minister of Enterprise and Made in Italy met the Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo last Thursday at the Italian Embassy in Washington. There was no mention of the Silk Road, Urso pointed out in a press conference with Italian journalists, nor of economic coercion, but “there was no need”, because the government is aware of how between the West and China there is a «systemic confrontation». Italy and allied countries are “aware of the way forward for guaranteeing the strategic autonomy of the European Union and the West”. for example on what is «the fundamental node, the supply of critical raw materials». It is, Urso underlines, a “response to the Chinese penetration policy, because we cannot move from subordination to Russian fossil coal, paid at a high price, to subordination to critical Chinese raw materials”.

Urso explained that one of his task forces has “presented the guidelines of the national plan on microelectronics which will materialize in a bill, first in Taipei, then in South Korea, then two weeks ago here in the United States and finally last week in Japan, the four western capitals that are capable of developing a significant and competitive industry in the digital field, because we believe that in the global context, Italy could be the ideal context for these companies”. The minister, who is visiting Washington from June 1 to 4, confirmed that the government is in an “ongoing dialogue” with Intel, and it is certain that important investments will soon arrive in the strategic semiconductor sector in Europe, but “also with other American companies and multinationals interested in Europe and our country”. With Raimondo, Urso added, «we talked about another path of common interest, that of the reconstruction of Ukraine. It was the secretary of Commerce who urged me in this direction, saying that Italy and the United States must work together with their companies».

Finally, the minister declared that he will return to the Council of Ministers with a list of “80 Italian subjects, i.e. Italian companies obviously present in the United States and US companies that are already present or want to invest in our country”. who are interested in the Italian sovereign fund, which will start with an endowment of one billion euros: provides for “private funds for strategic investments to strengthen the Made in Italy production chains starting from the procurement of raw materials, not only critical raw materials but those that our supply chains need to complete their production capacity in the best possible way”.

The Political Diary newsletter

If you want to stay updated on political news, subscribe to the newsletter “Political Diary”. It is dedicated to Corriere della Sera subscribers and arrives twice a week at 12. Just click here.