Su World Politics Review è stata pubblicata una breve analisi sulla strategia cinese nei confronti del nostro Paese: "Italy Offers China Strategic Bridge into Western Europe". Il pezzo è a pagamento ma in rete è possibile trovarlo gratuitamente.
Riporto riporto qui di seguito i passaggi più significativi.

"Forty years after the establishment of modern diplomatic ties between Italy and China, Rome has become one of Beijing's most-trusted partners in Western Europe. Following recent high-level talks in both capitals, the two countries have enhanced cooperation in a range of areas. With China keen to increase its influence in the Eastern Mediterranean and Italy in desperate need of fresh economic impetus, the potential benefits to both sides could be significant.
In contrast to China's engagement with resource-rich and emerging nations, its interest in Italy is motivated by the Mediterranean country's geographic advantages and advanced technological capabilities.
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However, within the context of Beijing's unfolding regional approach, Italy serves several broader strategic functions. First, with regard to the EU, as outlined by the Chinese ambassador to Italy, Ding Wei, in a speech in July, "China strongly intends to boost dialogue with Europe and looks at Italy as a strategic bridge for this." Italy offers Chinese companies the benefits of Western European technology and expertise, but in a more compatible business environment than its northern neighbors — the two countries received similar scores on this year's Transparency International Corruption Index.
Furthermore, Italy's maritime access will be attractive to China as the latter seeks to improve its supply routes to Africa, Europe and the Atlantic seaboard. Following recent investments in Greece, by and large along the same lines as those made in Italy, China has significantly increased its access to the Eastern Mediterranean in the last 12 months. Chinese firms have also identified considerable commercial benefits from developing rail and road infrastructure throughout Europe.
Embryonic Sino-Italian military cooperation comes against the backdrop of deepening Chinese defense cooperation with Turkey and Eastern European states such as Poland. These exercises reflect China's new defense strategy and its vision of the People's Liberation Army as outlined by the "New Historic Missions" military doctrine, which seeks to expand the PLA's operational capabilities beyond conventional warfare to better manage nonconventional and dynamic threats in a modern security environment. Cooperation with long-standing defense powers such as Turkey and Italy not only diversifies and enhances China's military capabilities, but also gives Beijing's leaders the international credibility they crave.
With the European economy still spluttering, China's ability to bring cash to the table will continue to open previously locked doors throughout the continent. That will naturally raise concerns that China's checkbook diplomacy represents a Trojan horse. However, these should not be overblown, as Chinese investment and demand represent two of the most-viable mechanisms currently on offer to kick-start the structural realignment Europe needs to return to balanced and sustainable economic growth."