Some Western media have alleged that China's cooperation with other countries, be it in Asia or elsewhere in the world, constitutes "neocolonialism" or "neo-imperialism." During a recent interview with CGTN, Michele Geraci, former undersecretary of state at Italy's Ministry of Economic Development, said such claims often cite China's activities in Africa. He gave the Democratic Republic of the Congo as an example of how economic cooperation with China has helped improve the lives of the local people. China has created local jobs in the country by building roads and other infrastructure, he noted. These types of infrastructure, he pointed out, will remain in the DRC and cannot be taken away by China. "It is very silly to accuse China of colonialism [by] Western powers," Geraci said. He also responded to questions from overseas netizens, stating that Asia is one of the biggest beneficiaries of globalization.