Italy extradites Chinese national to US over major hacking attacks - Bloomberg
As of Friday, the man had not yet been sent to the US (Photo: Getty Images)
The Italian government has decided to extradite a Chinese citizen wanted by the US on charges of carrying out cyberattacks, reports Bloomberg.
According to sources, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government made the decision after an Italian court ruled earlier this month that Xu Zewei could be extradited.
Bloomberg notes that the US Department of Justice was seeking Xu on suspicion of stealing COVID-19 research results and carrying out cyberattacks. US authorities alleged that he carried out these operations at the direction of the Chinese government. In 2025, the man was arrested in Italy at Washington's request.
For his part, Xu's lawyer in Milan stated that he had not received an official government ruling regarding the request for his client's extradition. He added that, to his knowledge, Xu was still being held in a nearby prison in Parma as of Friday.
A number of Italian media outlets report that Xu maintains his innocence.
But as Bloomberg writes, the extradition could help ease tensions between the US and Italy. As is known, tensions have arisen between Giorgia Meloni and US President Donald Trump against the backdrop of the Italian Prime Minister's growing distance from the war with Iran and her defense of Pope Leo XIV, whom the US leader called weak in fighting crime.
Bloomberg also added that since coming to power in 2022, Meloni has been walking a tightrope, balancing between China and the US.
Trump-Meloni conflict
A few weeks ago, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni criticized US President Donald Trump for his unacceptable remarks about the Pope.
She also responded to another of Trump's criticisms, stating that courage lies in telling friends the truth and in acting in one's own country's and Europe's interests.
