“As Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his team undertake their ambitious reforms to the U.S. development aid sector, they have a tremendous opportunity to dispense with the politicized ambitions of the previous administration and instead invest in diplomacy and strategies that will serve the country’s core interests. Countering China — with non-military methods — should be central to our approach.
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“China’s most significant instrument for exerting global economic and political influence is the multibillion-dollar infrastructure development scheme known as the Belt and Road Initiative. Undercutting the leverage this scheme has earned Beijing is a prime challenge for the United States. It is an area where the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation and Millennium Challenge Corporation should play important roles as part of our soft-diplomacy repertoire. Additionally, the provision of humanitarian assistance around the world would demonstrate America’s benevolence in contrast to China’s predatory model.”
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