Tilman Fertitta, US ambassador-designate to Italy, raised alarms over alleged Chinese police stations in the country. In his Senate hearing, he criticised Italy’s trade imbalance, NATO spending levels, and reliance on Libyan oil while praising Meloni’s leadership and alignment with US interests
Decoding the news. Tilman Fertitta, US ambassador-designate to Italy, raised alarms over alleged Chinese police stations in the country and pledged strong support for the bilateral relations.
- While recent reports have exposed how Beijing may use these unofficial outposts to monitor and intimidate Chinese nationals abroad, Decode39 has been tracking the story since 2022, highlighting Italy’s unique vulnerability as the only G7 country where these stations have been publicly identified.
- Fertitta addressed concerns about these unofficial outposts on Tuesday when addressing the US Senate committee in a confirmation hearing for the role.
The broader context. Fertitta tied the issue to what he described as a broader Western tendency to avoid confronting China directly.
- His comments reflect a growing bipartisan concern in Washington over covert Chinese influence operations in allied countries.
Italy’s shift on China. Fertitta welcomed Italy’s recent withdrawal from China’s Belt and Road Initiative, a decision made by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in late 2023.
- He framed it as a key moment in re-aligning Italy more firmly with US and NATO strategic interests.
What we’re watching. Beyond China, Fertitta criticised Italy’s trade imbalance with the US, urged higher Italian defence spending within NATO, and encouraged Rome to shift away from energy reliance on Libya in favour of American oil and gas.
- He also praised Meloni’s leadership and pledged to make the US–Italy relationship a daily priority.
