New Zealand is the latest country to accuse China of a massive cyberespionage effort, following the United States and the United Kingdom, but Italy should also be concerned. This is the scream of alarm that Marco Lupis, historical correspondent from Hong Kong for several newspapers, war correspondent, and currently journalist for HuffPost, an expert on the East, raises from the pages of his latest book, "Chinese Shadows over Italy," which was recently released by Rubbettino. According to Lupis, China is gradually but steadily entering Italian reality, putting Italian political institutions, business, banking, academia, culture, and the media in the crosshairs of its honed strategy of soft and sharp power. The threat should not be underestimated, to the point where Copasir, the Secret Service Control Committee, issued a warning in November 2020 about the dangers of Chinese penetration in many sectors of Italian life, including business, politics, institutions, and intelligence. A strong signal, but one that is quickly forgotten amid the growing serious news concerning the Coronavirus pandemic. Lupis' book reconstructs the history, methods, and dynamics of China's silent but constant penetration in Italy, with a focus on the last decade, and attempts to provide an answer to an increasingly pressing question: will we be able to control Beijing's expansionist ambitions in Italy?
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