Huge foreign aid programmes push China past Japan and India in global influence, report says
China leaps eight places in AidData’s global influence and foreign aid survey, helped by the US$126 billion belt and road infrastructure plan
China’s massive foreign aid programmes are pushing the country past Japan and India for international influence and narrowing the gap with the United States as the world’s biggest donor nation, according to a report by US researchers.
Since US-based AidData conducted its last survey of influential global foreign aid donors in 2014, China moved up from 29th (out of 33) to 21st (out of 35), according to the report, “Listening to Leaders 2018”, released on Thursday.
Along the way, the world’s second-biggest economy overtook Japan (25th) and India (24th) in influence flowing from foreign aid.
China’s global influence was boosted by its US$126 billion “Belt and Road Initiative” – an ambitious plan to build roads, ports and infrastructure worldwide – and the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, according to AidData.
Although China is lagging behind the US, which trailed the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank as the most influential donors, it has been closing the gap with America as the biggest donor nation as US President Donald Trump slashes foreign aid.