MONTH IN REVIEW • QUESTION & ANSWER
Quiet desperation R
Former Prime Minister of Italy Romano Prodi on China in Africa and in Europe
omano Prodi, twice former prime minister of Italy and president of the European Commission
(EC) from 1999 to 2004, has had a comparatively long and deep engage- ment with China over the course of his career. As president of the EC, he led the EU in its negotiations with China over the role the euro would play in China’s foreign exchange reserve strategy, an engagement that paid off for Europe when the Greek sovereign debt crisis struck. However, during his second stint as prime minister from 2006 to 2008, factors including anti-Chinese senti- ment in Italy helped sweep the Italian Right, led by Prodi’s political nemesis Silvo Berlusconi, back into power. Today, Prodi is a guest professor at the China Europe International Business School, where he spoke with China Economic Review about China’s strategy in North Africa, the invasion of Italy by Wenzhou entrepreneurs, and whether he plans to re-enter politics.
Q
: Right now we have a little situation in North Africa. Tis is a critical
area for the energy security of Europe and China both. Can you discuss the Chinese position in North Africa and what this means for Europe?
A
: Well, you know, the problem is that the Chinese position in
North Africa can only be guessed. At the time [the crisis began], there was no official posi-
tion. Tere were thousands and
thousands of Chinese workers in Libya and all other countries in
the area. But there was no clear position, simply adherence to the idea of “non-interference.” If you want to know my forecast, what is
certain is that the European influence in the area will diminish and prob- ably the American and Chinese influence will increase. Of course, right now, nobody really knows what will happen to people; we are just
20 China Economic Review • May 2011
CHINA HAND: Prodi visiting Guangzhou
thinking about oil. But the real problem is, will there be a flow of immigrants to Europe? Will this flow put European cohesion in crisis?
Q A
Q
A Q
: A significant number of Europeans say that flows of immigrants have already created a crisis of cohesion.
: Yes, but I don’t know if the flow of immigrants will happen. I hope not!
: Let’s stay with immigration. Tere has been a lot of coverage in the
international press about a town in Italy called Prato, a textile town which has absorbed massive Chinese immigration from Wenzhou; these immigrants have taken over the textile and fashion indus- try there and now there’s a lot of tension.
: I go to Wenzhou this Saturday. I want to understand the origin of
immigration. To understand Prato from Wenzhou.
: What does this influx of Chinese immigrants into the textile industry,
which was already very troubled by com- petition with low-cost Chinese labor, mean for Italian society?
A
: I think that there is a general problem with liberal competition
and displacement of low-level compa- nies that has been going on for quite a few years. Tat is worrying and makes for difficult consequences. But from this point of view, the peak has already arrived. Tis is still a worrying problem,
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