Italy, the only major Western power to have joined China’s global infrastructure initiative, is exiting in 2024.

The Chinese government has lashed out at the “smearing” of its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) after its only major Western partner pulled out of the infrastructure project.

Italy was the first Group of Seven (G7) nation to take part in China’s ambitious global plan, but notified Bejing it would withdraw in 2024.

Without addressing Italy directly, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on Thursday opposing the “smearing and undermining of cooperation on the joint construction of the Belt and Road”.

Beijing is also opposed to “confrontation and division among camps that causes separation”, ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said.