Historic route revival promotes people-to-people connections

Giulio Pugliese, a senior fellow (Asia-Pacific) at the Istituto Affari Internazionali, an Italian international relations think tank, said amid the escalating politicization and securitization of foreign capital, particularly from China, and the protectionist sentiments across the globe, Italy's stance toward China is likely to become more cautious.

"Concerns regarding the potential repercussions of US secondary sanctions on Chinese investments and technology have significantly influenced Italy and much of Western Europe, thereby weakening the impact of the MoU," Pugliese explained.

Maria Azzolina, president of the Italy-China Institute, emphasized the importance of maintaining long-standing connections despite political changes, saying: "The relationship between Italy and China cannot be easily changed due to a new government.