The Trump administration’s pause of United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funding may leave the door open for China to spread its influence, and Beijing is not wasting time trying to fill in the gaps.
A former USAID official, who spoke with Fox News Digital under the condition of anonymity, said that whereas the U.S. stepped down, China has “immediately” stepped in.
“We’ve just seen news reporting coming out of Nepal, Cambodia, Papua New Guinea, documenting directly that where USAID programs have ended that the People’s Republic of China has told these governments that it will step in and become the partner for these governments to continue that work,” a former USAID official told Fox News Digital.
An illustration of Elon Musk, President Donald Trump and a USAID flag. (Getty Images)
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China has already stepped up its funding to Cambodia’s largest demining organization, the Cambodian Mine Action Center (CMAC), in the absence of U.S. funds, according to Reuters. As it seeks increased influence, Beijing pledged $4.4 million to CMAC, more than double the $2 million it received from the U.S. last year, the outlet added.
Additionally, China is also watching the funding freeze’s impact on Nepal, the Annapurna Express reports. While China is already sending funds to Nepal, it is reportedly increasing its financial support in various areas.
The former USAID official emphasized that “by removing these [USAID] programs it adds one more reason for many of these partners to now not see the United States as a partner who shares their priorities of investing in the people of their countries.”
President Donald Trump displays a signed National Security Presidential Memorandum in the Oval Office in 2019 in Washington, D.C. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
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While there are several populations around the globe feeling the impact of the Trump administration’s funding freeze, the situation is particularly treacherous for women.
During President Donald Trump’s first term in office, his daughter, Ivanka, played a key role in launching the Women’s Global Development and Prosperity Initiative (W-GDP). At the time, the White House said the program was aimed at advancing women’s economic empowerment.
Lilian Achom, who is based in Uganda, participated in USAID W-GDP Fund programming and was present when Trump launched the W-GDP. Now, she fears that women grappling with HIV/AIDS, many of whom are widows trying to raise children.
When speaking to Fox News Digital, Achom said Trump needs to “think about the underprivileged deep down in northern Uganda. The underprivileged, the children, the women who are currently suffering.”
Achom recalled meeting Ivanka Trump and spoke highly of the president’s daughter, saying that she was “inspired” by her.
“I saw in her someone who was really, really interested in women’s empowerment, economic development and digital inclusion for women around the world,” Achom said of Ivanka.
Ivanka Trump speaks while next to Lilian Achom in the White House, Feb. 7, 2019. (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
The former USAID official who spoke with Fox News Digital said that the funding freeze is “impacting potentially every aspect of the lives of women and girls who were benefiting from USAID programs.” The official added that while China is already trying to fill certain voids left by the U.S., it’s unclear whether they will fund programs focused on women.
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The White House has accused USAID of funding “the ridiculous — and, in many cases, malicious — pet projects of entrenched bureaucrats.”
Among the areas of “waste and abuse” highlighted by the White House are $2.5 million for electric vehicles for Vietnam, $1.5 million to “advance diversity, equity and inclusion in Serbia’s workplaces and business communities,” and $6 million to fund tourism in Egypt.
The State Department did not respond to a Fox News request for comment.