"The Prato case [of a war between rival Chinese criminal clans] is not simply an Italian story. It is a Chinese story that reveals how Beijing’s refusal to cooperate with European prosecutors amounts to complicity. The mafia is not only tolerated but instrumentalized. It provides economic leverage, channels illicit profits, and extends China’s reach into Europe’s industrial heartlands. The victims are many: exploited workers, intimidated entrepreneurs, and communities living under fear. But the larger victims are the Western economy, threatened by China’s unfair competition, and the principle of liberty itself. When a state shields criminal networks for its own advantage, it undermines the rule of law far beyond its borders."