The United States canceled two Cambodia aid projects in late February – one to encourage literacy for children and the other to improve nutrition and development for children under the age of five. A week later, the Chinese Relief Agency announced funding for programs to achieve almost identical goals.
“Children are the future of the country and the nation.” “We must care about healthy growth for children together.”
While the advertisement of China did not include a dollar personality, Chinese funds mainly finance the same types of initiatives and development goals where efforts have been completed as part of the Trump administration’s dismantling of the American Agency for International Development, according to two people who have the knowledge of American projects, who have not been authorized to speak publicly.
Both focused on “comprehensive education” and “the most vulnerable children”, according to news data and purchasing documents. Both provide school supplies, offer hand washing materials and improve results for families, “weak” families, the baby and children with disabilities, according to the people.
The price of the United States programs – 40 million dollars – small compared to 27.7 billion dollars in savings, and the Trump administration said this week that it had provided by destroying thousands of relief contracts. But for Cambodia, which the national gross domestic product was almost equivalent to this Fairmont, this was a large amount, and the replacement of missing foreign funds was a priority.
The Foreign Ministry, which supervises the United States Agency for International Development and may now accommodate the agency completely, said in a statement that the United States was funding aid programs that make Americans richer and safer. At the same time, she said that the United States has made “great progress” by investing in the development of Cambodia over the past thirty years, “partnership closely” with the government.
The administration added in the statement: “Despite the changes in the US approach to external aid, we hope to see our relationship with Cambodia ripening in a productive way because we make America safer, stronger and more prosperous.”
The contracts were terminated on February 26 after President Donald Trump and Chancellor Elon Musk launched a comprehensive reform of US State Department assistance, which included the dismantling of the United States Agency for International Development.
Although only one example, it appears to confirm the concerns expressed by democracy and some Republican lawmakers, and former aid advocates and officials: by reducing foreign aid, Trump gives China an easy opportunity to fill the void and gain a soft energy feature in countries where global opponents compete to influence.
This is especially urgent in Cambodia, where the United States has spent nearly one billion dollars since the 1990s. Washington has long been subjected to an arduous battle with China in Southeast Asia, and Cambodia in particular. The Biden Administration has raised concerns about the Chinese military influence at the Rayam Naval Base in the country over the past four years.
But recently, the United States has moved to Enhance Defense relations with the government in Bennah, which gave American warships to reach Reem for the first time in late last year.
“Diplomacy”
“It is a diplomatic gift” to China, “said Charles Kenny, an older colleague at the Global Development Center. “In every country there is a serious reduction in the American Agency for International Development, if they put a small amount of money in a health and educational project and say,” Look, we outperform this, this seems to be a propaganda gift for them. I am sure they are smart enough to take it. “
Since the Trump administration has moved to the US Agency for International Development, it has ended most of the foreign aid contracts, leave or its place in vacation most of its employees. American lawmakers, development experts and national security specialists have highlighted the geopolitical risks of reducing US foreign aid in the developing world.
Many of these legislators and experts have warned that China could move, and gain more influence on developing countries after officials in Africa, Asia and South America have for years with tens of billions in loans that mostly focus on infrastructure through the Beijing Belt and Roads Initiative.
Certainly. China has already announced a funding for the permitted Cambodian mining initiative, and was later recovered by the United States in mid -March, Beijing as well Declare Early Childhood Development Project in Rwanda, where the United States Agency for International Development has recently cleared contracts. And Chinese officials have It is said The compensation for the financing gaps in Nepal, located between India and China.
Will Parks, a Cambodian representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund, said in a statement that the organization and Cambodia had partnered with China in 2024, based on a proposal from 2022. It was launched earlier this month and a “supplement” funding from other countries.
“Cambodia has made huge progress for children over the past decade,” he said. “But more discounts in relief budgets can offer these hard -made achievements.”
The Cambodia government was clear about drawing a link.
“The compassionate government is working with many partners, and we never rely on any one partner exclusively.” “So if one of the partners pulled support, we are seeking to find another partner to replace it.”
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement that China will continue to provide assistance for economic and social development “in Cambodia” under the framework of cooperation between the south and south.
“China’s aid policy remains consistent and clear,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs continued. “China’s principles of not overlapping, not linking any political chains, and not giving empty promises remain unchanged.”
In a closed listening session in the Capitol Hill this month, Beit Maruko, who led the attack on the United States Agency for International Development, was asked about the Cambodia and the timing of China’s quick announcement, according to one person familiar with the session. This person said that Maruko raised concerns about increasing China’s influence.
Maruko did not respond to a request for comment.
While the Trump team said that the canceled projects did not bring any benefits to the Americans, Diana Potman, who was retired as an assistant assistant at the United States for International Development in Africa, said that billions in the agency in foreign assistance helped to give us a decisive advantage.
“Their influence and their ability to make a change in the foreign policy in this country is supported by the money they bring, and in the global south, the money is primarily the money enjoyed by the American Agency for International Development.”
This story was originally shown on Fortune.com
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