Xi to visit Italy & France as Rome joins 'New Silk Road'

Beijing: Chinese President Xi Jinping will travel to Italy, Monaco and France this week, the foreign ministry said

Monday, with Rome expected to join his global trade infrastructure programme despite reservations in other European countries.

Xi will pay state visits from March 21 to March 26, foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said in a statement, without providing more details about

his itinerary.

An Italian official said last week that Rome would sign a non-binding memorandum of understanding with Beijing to officially support Xi's massive 1 trillion Belt and Road initiative, also known as the New

Silk Road.