For years, China has actively pursued a more prominent role within various international organizations. Now, with the White House significantly reducing its financial contributions to the United Nations and other key global institutions, Beijing sees a golden opportunity to solidify its presence.
What’s striking is that this expansion isn’t requiring China to compete with America’s once-vast spending. Instead, Beijing is finding ways to boost its influence efficiently and at a much lower cost.
The Trump administration has withdrawn billions in funding from the United Nations, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and various other international aid organizations. This drastic reduction has severely worsened an already existing budget crisis at the U.N., leading to extensive program cuts worldwide.
Beijing’s officials have consistently criticized multilateral initiatives concerning labor and minority rights, viewing them as pretexts for interfering in national sovereignty. They are now actively leveraging the current climate to curb these efforts. A recent investigation revealed that during meetings in Geneva, the hub of U.N. human rights activities, China collaborated with countries like Cuba, Iran, Russia, and Venezuela to suggest cost-cutting measures, specifically proposing to reduce human rights investigations.
Officials in China contend that while the U.S. retreats, Beijing is stepping up to champion global principles. For instance, a former Chinese U.N. official stated in the state-run China Daily on September 12 that despite the “doubts and challenges facing the U.N., China remains a steadfast supporter of its global governance efforts, actively contributing to solutions for worldwide issues.”
Gaining Influence Affordably
Ironically, China itself has exacerbated the U.N.’s financial woes by consistently delaying its annual dues, rendering the funds unusable for much of the year. However, the prominent withdrawal of U.S. support has largely diverted attention from Beijing’s own financial practices.