At the end of February, the US canceled two Cambodia assistance projects – one to support child literacy and others to improve the nutrition and development of children under five years. A week later, the Chinese Assistance Agency for Help announced the financing of programs to achieve almost the same goals.
“Children are the future of the country and the nation,” said the Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wenbin, who stands next to the Minister of Health of the country and UNICEF official. “We should take care of the healthy growth of children together.”
While the Chinese announcement did not include the value of the dollar, Chinese money basically funds the same types of initiatives and development goals, as efforts have been completed as part of the USAID's dismantling Trump administration, according to two people with knowledge of American projects who were not authorized to speak publicly.
According to news and documents on public procurement, they focused on “inclusive education” and “most vulnerable children”. According to people, they provided both school supplies, offered hand washing materials and improved the results for “vulnerable” families and households, newborns and children with disabilities.
The US -$ 40 million price tag – was small compared to $ 27.7 billion in savings that Trump Administration said that this week had saved a ax with thousands of auxiliary contracts. But for Cambodia, whose national GDP is roughly equivalent to this vermont, it was a large amount and the replacement of lost foreign funds was a priority.
The state ministry, which is supervised by the USA, and now can absorb the agency completely, said the US was the financing of programs to help the Americans richer and safer. At the same time, it said that the US has made “significant progress” by investing in Cambodia in the last 30 years, “working closely” with the government.
“Despite changes in the American approach to foreign aid, we hope that our relationship with Cambodia will ripen productively when we make America safer, stronger and prosperous,” the ministry said in a statement.
The contracts were terminated on February 26 after President Donald Trump and advisor Elon Musk launched extensive reworking of US foreign aid, which included dismantling the US Agency for International Development.
Although it is only one example, it seems to confirm concerns expressed by democratic and some Republican legislators, advocates of assistance and former American officials: by mixing foreign aid, Trump gives an easy opportunity to fill the vacuum and gain soft advantage in countries where global opponents competitions for influence.
This is particularly urgent in Cambodia where the US spent about $ 1 billion from 90. Washington has long led the Battle of Hill with China in Southeast Asia and especially Cambodia. The Biden administration raised concerns about Chinese military influence on the Earth's naval base over the last four years.
However, the US has recently moved strengthen Defense ties with the government in Phnom Penhu, which for the first time at the end of last year provided an American war ship to Ream.
'Diplomatic gift'
“It's a diplomatic gift” for China, said Charles Kenny, an older colleague at the Global Development Center. “In every country where the USAID is seriously reduced if they put a small amount of money into the health and education project and say,” Look, we increase, “it seems to be a bit of an advertising gift for them. And I'm sure they are smart enough to take it.”
Since Trump's administration has moved to conclude the USA, it ends most of its foreign aid contracts and persisted or laid most of its employees, US lawmakers, development experts and national security experts emphasized geopolitical risks of restricting US foreign aid restrictions.
Many of these legislators and experts warned that China could move in, and gain further influence on developing nations after years for years of officials in Africa, Asia and South America, tens of billions focused mainly on infrastructure through initiative in Beijing and belts and road initiatives.
And it certainly has it. China has already announced the financing of the Cambodian Initiative for Mining, which was dropped and later renewed the US in mid -March, Beijing also notified Early childhood development project in Rwanda, where USAid recently limited contracts. And Chinese officials have supposedly Offered to replace gaps in the field of financing in Nepal, set between India and China.
Will Parks, a representative of the UN Children's Fund, stated in a statement that the organization and Cambodia had signed a partnership with China in 2024 on the basis of a proposal since 2022. It started at the beginning of this month and “complements” funding from other nations, Parks said.
“Cambodia has made huge progress for children in the last decade,” he said. “But further reduction of budgets to help could endanger these hardly reserved achievements.”
The Cambodian government was explicitly about the drawing of the legacy.
“The Cambodian government is working with many partners and we never rely on one partner exclusively,” said Pen Bona spokesman through a text message in response to questions. “So if one partner becomes support, we try to find another partner to replace her.”
China “will continue to provide assistance with economic and social development” in Cambodia “As part of the South-South cooperation,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“Chinese policy of assistance remains consistent and clear,” the Foreign Ministry continued. “The Chinese principles of non -interference, the non -attachment of any political chains that do not give empty promises remain unchanged.”
At the negotiations with the closed door on the Capitol hill this month, Trump was named Pete Morocco, who led the attack on the USA, on the basis of Cambodian projects and the timing of the Chinese rapid announcement, by one person known with the session. Morocco started concerns about her influence China, the person said.
Morocco did not answer the comment.
While Trump's team said that canceled projects brought any benefits to the Americans, Diana Putman, who retired as a USAID assistant for Africa, said that billions of foreign aid helped us a major advantage to ambassadors.
“Their lever effect and the ability to change foreign policy in this country are supported by the money they bring, and in the global south, that money is the money that USAID has,” Putman said.
This story was originally listed on Fortune.com
