Europe needs to boost its economic relations with the Eurasia region and avoid falling victim to US-China tensions, as globalization, especially in global trade, is going to continue despite the pandemic, Romano Prodi, the president of the Foundation of Worldwide Cooperation and a former prime minister of Italy, said on Thursday at the opening of the 13th Eurasian Economic Forum in Verona
VERONA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 22nd October, 2020) Europe needs to boost its economic relations with the Eurasia region and avoid falling victim to US-China tensions, as globalization, especially in global trade, is going to continue despite the pandemic, Romano Prodi, the president of the Foundation of Worldwide Cooperation and a former prime minister of Italy, said on Thursday at the opening of the 13th Eurasian Economic Forum in Verona.
"We should not become a passive element caught between the relationship between China and the United States. If we could improve the relationship between Europe and Eurasia, we would well be able to strengthen economic cooperation despite political hurdles. Let's not be influenced by the development of US-China relations. We should be an intermediate player to support peace and development all over the world," Prodi, who is considered to be one of the most influential political figures in Italy despite the absence of the current government post, said.
The pandemic will result in a correction of international trade, but globalization will not cease to exist, he added.
"The focus has shifted on advanced technology, while it has previously been on military and political leadership," the former prime minister said.
According to Prodi, international trade is going to see some redistribution of production, which he called the "face masks effect" � the fact that Italy halted the creation of face masks because the production was moved to China, leaving the country unprepared when the pandemic came and the supply channels were disrupted. As a result, Italy had to restart the production of face masks at home.
"There will be some redistribution, but we should be careful not to build a higher wall in relations between Europe and Eurasia," he said.
The Eurasian Economic Forum is taking place in Verona in person despite the newly introduced restrictions of the government aimed at curbing the rapid growth of COVID-19 cases and prohibiting any conferences and congresses. Most of the participants, however, will attend the event online.
