Economic opportunity-focused. An op-ed published on Thursday by the Chinese Ambassador in Italy, Jia Guide, in Il Sole 24 Ore, the most important economic newspaper in Italy, presents a polished narrative on Beijing-EU relations that emphasises economic opportunity.
- Ambassador Jia paints China as resilient, pro-growth, and open to collaboration with European investors, highlighting advancements in green energy, AI, and consumer expansion while sidestepping contentious political topics.
Pro-Bricss rhetoric. A glowing book review in Il Fatto Quotidiano celebrates the BRICS bloc as the emerging centre of global power, casting it as a post-Western alliance poised to replace the outdated G7 model.
- The review emphasises themes of Euro-Asian identity, de-dollarisation, and multipolarity, challenging traditional Western dominance.
A dual messaging strategy. These narratives are part of a broader Chinese campaign to leverage Italy’s open media space and economic anxieties.
- The approach is both subtle and assertive: it prioritises economic benefits, ignores geopolitical frictions, and presents China as a stabilising force amid Western discord.
- This dual messaging not only redefines global power dynamics but also exploits Italy’s persistent divide between security and economic competitiveness.
Between the lines. This dual-front messaging is part of a broader campaign to use Italy’s open media space and economic anxieties to promote narratives that question Western cohesion and alternative partnerships.
- The approach is subtle, consistent, and increasingly aggressive (for example, Russian propagandist Vladimir Soloviev was not admitted on Italian public TV).
- Economic leverage remains a key factor, while the narrative emphasises promoting peace to the left and sovereignty to the right.
Security, geopolitics and economy: As former Prime Minister Enrico Letta recently said: “No competitiveness without security. No security without competitiveness.” But in Italy, many still separate the two — a vulnerability China and its partners are adept at exploiting.
- In a moment of Western uncertainty, Beijing quietly embeds its message: We’re not just a market—we’re the future. (No, they don’t.)
