US cedes ground to China with 'self-inflicted wound' of USAid shutdown, analysts say
Category: News & Politics
Via: bob-nelson • 2 weeks ago • 36 commentsBy: heldavidson (the Guardian)
Hubris
America is screwed... by the government it elected democratically... and the people to whom that government has given power, regardless of the law. America is rapidly being transformed into a fascist kleptocracy, on the model of Putin's Russia. All power to the dictator, and all wealth to the oligarchs.
But America is not only losing its democracy. It is also losing its leading role in the world.
We knew Donald Trump is a narcissist, but we (I, at least) did not comprehend the depth of that narcissism. Donald Trump has no qualms about ruining the United States, as long as his actions ensure that he keeps the spotlight.
He doesn't care about Big Oil. He doesn't even care about the money that Big Oil gives him. He supports fossil fuels because to do so in 2025 is outrageous. And being outrageous keeps Donald Trump in the spotlight.
Donald Trump doesn't care about health-care. He is neither for nor against it. He doesn't care because, having as many private doctors as he may need, he is not directly concerned. But being against Americans' well-being is outrageous... and keeps Donald Trump in the spotlight.
Donald Trump doesn't care about EVs. But favoring ICEs in 2025 is outrageous, and keeps him in the spotlight.
So... what country profits from America abandoning alternative fuels? China, of course.
What country profits from America abandoning its leadership in medical science? Perhaps the EU or perhaps China.
Xi is smiling...
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Donald Trump's shutdown of USAid has already had disastrous effects on humanitarian aid and development programmes around the world, but it has also ceded ground to the US's chief rival, China, analysts have said.
The result of the sudden 90-day suspension of USAid funding - which accounts for 40% of global foreign aid - has been chaos: employees locked out of offices, humanitarian shipments left to rot, and lifesaving assistance stopped. Around the world, development programmes previously assisted by the USAid are panicking, warning of disastrous risks of escalating famine, death and disease.
Authoritarian regimes around the world cheer on dismantling of USAidRead more
Trump's plan involves the merger of the more than 60-year-old USAid into the state department, shrinking its workforce and aligning its spending with his priorities. But analysts say it is working against one key priority - countering China.
"[The US is handing] on a silver platter to China the perfect opportunity to expand its influence, at a time when China's economy is not doing very well," said Prof Huang Yanzhong, senior fellow for global health at the Council on Foreign Relations.
"What Trump is doing is basically providing China a perfect opportunity to rethink, to renew soft power projects, and get back on track to transglobal leadership."
More than one analyst described the shuttering of USAid as a "self-inflicted wound".
Global dynamics have been dominated by the ongoing US-China competition and a key battlefront is in the development sector as Washington and its allies vie against Beijing for influence in the global south.
In 2018, the Chinese government created the standalone China International Development Cooperation Agency, or China Aid, to streamline China's spending, including its foreign investment programme, the belt and road initiative (BRI). Beijing doesn't disclose foreign aid budgets but a study by William & Mary's Global Research Institute found China lent $1.34tn to developing nations between 2000 and 2021, mostly through the BRI. The new agency would "further the effectiveness of aid as a key foreign policy instrument", according to a government press release at the time.
While China Aid operates differently to USAid, by focusing more on loans and highly visible infrastructure projects rather than partnering with local organisations, both agencies have similar objectives - spreading their respective government's soft power and influence.
It's particularly focused on the Pacific, where the US, Australia and other allies have been trying to counter China's efforts to make security deals with the small but strategically located countries.
Tom Wang, the executive director of Manila-based People of Asia for Climate Solutions, an environmental NGO that works in the Philippines and China, warned against "simplistic" narratives of China replacing US soft power overnight.
Wang, whose organisation does not receive any US or Chinese government funding, noted that Chinese funders did not have the same long history of overseas development as USAid. "It's not just the disappearance of money, it's the disappearance of experience," he said.
Wang said that a bigger presence for China in the environmental space could be a blessing in disguise for some NGOs. "China might not be as good at supporting local groups in terms of financials, but what China is good at is technology, knowledge sharing, especially when it comes to renewable energy."
Still, Wang said, for NGOs in his sector, following the USAid stoppage, "the biggest impact is the anxiety". He added: "All of a sudden, you have no way to continue your work … as an NGO campaigner or a climate activist, it's quite a scary thing."
Melissa Conley Tyler, executive director of the Asia Pacific Development, Diplomacy and Defence Dialogue, tsaid she knew of at least one confirmed case in the region where China Aid had already stepped in to provide the funds pulled by USAid.
"The US and Europe, Canada, Australia, Japan, we have a strong interest in living in a world of liberal democracies and economies," said George Ingram, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution's centre for sustainable development and a former USAid official.
"China, like Russia, is trying to advance an authoritarian world. The total opposite of what our interests are."
For now, any new China Aid support would be mostly rescuing programmes abandoned by USAid, like the example in the Pacific. But down the track that could change, Conley Tyler said.
Doge v USAid: how Elon Musk helped his acolytes infiltrate world's biggest aid agencyRead more
"My biggest worry about China as a development actor is the way it often corrodes good governance and accountability in the country where it works. I don't have a problem with any country being a development party … it's a wonderful thing. But the way China does aid can have a sort of corrupting effect on that."
There was also likely to be greatly reduced bargaining power for recipient nations. With USAid gone, programmes that previously reaped the benefits of two superpowers competing to fund their projects might just have to take what they can get.
"They don't have to significantly increase funding of the foreign aid levels in order to replace the US as leader in this field," said Huang. "And … its narrative about international development, about how altruistic China is, becomes more convincing. So that also helps boost China's soft power quickly."
Conley Tyler said the impact of the USAid suspension is far worse than what's being reported because many programme workers are hoping if they keep quiet, funding might be restored at the end of the 90 days.
But even if it is, broadly, the trust is gone.
"Who is going to allow themselves to become dependent on US assistance if it's fickle, if it doesn't distinguish between allies and adversaries, if it could just be turned off on a political whim?" she said.
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Putin's henchmen were billionaires, too...
... right before they started falling out of windows.
I get the sense that Trump, Elon, and the 2025 crowd assume that foreign aid is all about bleeding heart liberalism. But that’s not why we started doing it. It is nice to help people, of course, but this was a Cold War strategy. If we don’t proactively make friends around the world, other powers, like Russia and China will.
Of course. But Trump & Co don't care. They're only interested in their personal wealth/power. The country is just a means to gain greater personal wealth/power.
And you expected differently??
If one has watched DJT over the years, this is absolutely no surprise whatsoever.
I'm surprised by the putschists' temerity, brazenness, and utter lack of conscience.
Trump et.al, have to do it fast, before the public at large realizes the enormity of their combined foolish choice. Which is precisely why people and politicians are starting to muster to slow the Trump Co. machine.
Bingo...
Polio, smallpox, malaria. Conservative values.
Humanitarian aid is not what's being cut. And yes, conservatives have conservative values and act accordingly.
Trump doesn't personally profit from all the cost cutting, but the American people do
Link?
Got TB? Kansas does...
Neoliberals actually believe China is going to step in to become the 'benevolent' caretaker of the world? Really? China can't do anything without aid from the gullible USA.
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Are you saying that if "aid" from the U.S. is cut-- there is no other country that would replace it?
Who is falling all over themselves trying to be more 'benevolent' than US politicians? The sanctimonious politicians are throwing other people's money at these problems. And some are taking a skim for themselves.
Why aren't the oil princes stepping up to turn Gaza into another Dubai? Why don't the Chinese step up and turn Gaza into another Shanghai? Who the fuck cares about the Riviera? Why are all these global-world-order schemes always dumped onto the backs of American taxpayers?
Mohammed bin Salman doesn't even pretend to be a nice person. He ordered Jammal Khashogi's murder and dismemberment. The Gulf states are less spectacularly evil, but that's just image.
You're right that there aren't many countries offering to do good in the world. Some would say that no country - including the US - ever behaves selflessly. But for whatever motive, some countries offer help to less fortunate countries. The EU, China and Russia, of course. India, probably.
So... what happens when the US stops giving aid to a country that needs it? Either starvation or aid from another source. Would you prefer to see them starve?
We do have to remember the words attributed to Charles de Gaulle. "No nation has friends, only interests".
Nations which provide aid have their own self-interests at heart and generally want something in return.
Oh, boo-fucking-hoo. The article you posted describes 'aid' as a weapon. USaid is used to embed intelligence operatives, recruit rebels, destabilize regions. USaid is used the same way Hamas uses aid to coerce, subvert, and dominate.
We'll send food or bombs, whichever best serves the interests of the US oligaarchs. But the rich rat basterds never spend their own money.
Because they are not sanctimonious?
So the EU and China and Russia and India find interest in aiding less fortunate countries.
Donald Trump does not.
That is not what I said, and you know it. Very poor twist on the words spoken.
To clean up your remark, the EU, China, Russa and India would provide aid to less fortunate countries IF IT WAS IN THEIR INTEREST TO DO SO. Same with the USA, we provide aid to further our own interests. We don't provide aid just because we think we're the good guys, we want something back for it. It may be as intangible as we just want them to like us, but it's not given out the goodness of our heart. That's what it means when it's said that countries do not have friends, they have interests.
I wasn't paraphrasing you.
I was pointing out that Trump is alone in the advanced world.
And I told you how you were wrong. It doesn't matter who the leader of any given country is, they will all provide aid with the idea of getting something tangible back. In this regard Trump is no different than the leader of any other country in the world. If a country provides aid, it is done with the expectation of getting something back.
The difference is that the other advanced countries don't expect any immediate return. That's a pretty big difference.
That's so wrong it would be laughable if it weren't so sad.
Cultural Revolution?
An American plot!
Chairman Mao's Little Red Book?
Written in its entirety by a prominent Republican politician (he who shall not be named).
Anyone remember this:
A revolution is not a dinner party!
A famous quote from Richard Milhous Nixon!
(Or was it Barry Goldwater...?)
Please, people.
Housing in China is blatantly off-topic, and so are all replies.
Of course that's what happens online-- when someone is obviously losing an argument, an all too common tactic is to attempt to derail the conversation.
In the hopes that no one will notice.
Hehehe!
Absolutely right. Today he gave China a new gift along with other foreign powers by halting investigations into foreign bribery stating it was to make it easier for American businesses to operate in foreign countries. He thinks we shouldn't investigate corrupt practices probably for Musk, Kushner, his own global empire and his many corrupt billionaire friends.