The considerable increase in China-Europe railway shipping volumes has positively influenced the development of the entire Russian transport system over the past few years. Enhancing Russia’s transport and transit potential will increase the revenue of manufacturing/processing companies, the budget and the income of employees and have major geopolitical implications

Italy’s officially joining the China-led Belt and Road Initiative sparked a fierce debate. By analysing five fields of cooperation, the volume sheds light on whether the bilateral agreement has brought about an intensification of bilateral collaboration as wished by the Italian government as the time and whether the concerns around it have materialized.