Historic route revival promotes people-to-people connections

While the Confucius Institute has been viewed as a soft power instrument of China in Italy, Masini said it can also be seen as a reciprocal relationship where it has served as a soft power instrument of Italy in China. "This is because we have hosted numerous young Chinese scholars, students and individuals who have the opportunity to experience Italian life and learn from it. It is not about exporting one country's system to the other; instead, it acts as a platform that encourages bilateral relations between young people and fosters mutual understanding," he added.

However, despite the initial intentions of both China and Italy to advance the BRI agreements, various factors have led to a slowdown in their cooperation in recent years. The frequent changes in the Italian government have shifted the focus of the initiative's development.

Additionally, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and shifts in international geopolitics have further affected the pace of bilateral collaboration. As a result, the progress of the cooperation on the BRI has been affected, experiencing a slowdown during this period.