TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — U.S. President Joe Biden and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni made a case for a stable Taiwan Strait in a joint statement as they met at the White House on Thursday (July 27).
“The two sides reiterate the vital importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” said the statement, adding this benefits regional and global prosperity. The U.S. also welcomed the growing presence of Italy in the Indo-Pacific.
Biden and Meloni also affirmed a commitment to bolster consultations on the opportunities and challenges posed by China, according to the statement.
The meeting comes against the backdrop of a revisit of Italy’s policy on Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). In 2019, the European country became the only G7 nation to join the initiative, criticized as risking a loss of control of the country’s potentially sensitive technologies.
Meloni has hinted Italy will quit the pact but maintains a good relationship with Beijing, wrote Reuters. Biden, at the same time, is pushing for increased trade between the U.S. and Italy, which registered over US$100 billion in 2022.
While at odds with Biden on issues like LGBTQ rights, Italy’s first female prime minister said her preference for Republicans would not hamper her developing “a great relationship” with Biden. Italy will assume the presidency of the G7 nations in 2024 and its role in China’s infrastructure plan will become clearer as the deal expires in March 2024.