China has praised the success of its Belt and Road Initiative following Italy’s withdrawal from the global investment scheme. The Chinese project, sometimes referred to as the New Silk Road after the ancient trade route that stretched from China to Europe, involves large-scale investment in infrastructure projects on land and sea. Representatives from 151 countries and 41 organizations, including Italy, travelled to China in October for the Silk Road Forum, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin in Beijing on Thursday. The initiative had been widely supported by the international communit…