[International] Trump to Downsize 5 Embassies Abroad; Democrats Worry About Leaving Gaps for China and Russia
RtiTalk 小編20d ago
Sources familiar with the matter revealed that the U.S. Department of State has notified Congress of its plan to close five overseas diplomatic missions, including those in Nagoya and Medan. This represents a rare downsizing of America's global diplomatic presence.
Some congressional committees received notification late last week, stating the State Department's intention to close the Consulate General in Nagoya, Japan; the Consulate General in Medan, Indonesia; the branch office of the Embassy in Douala, Cameroon; the Embassy in St. George's, Grenada; and the Consulate General in Winnipeg, Canada.
This notification has not yet been made public and marks an unusual instance of multiple U.S. missions being closed simultaneously without a specific geopolitical event driving the decision.
Some government officials privately believe that certain smaller foreign missions are insignificant and cost-ineffective.
U.S. Democrats and some former diplomatic and national security officials, however, argue that downsizing America's diplomatic outposts, coupled with the previous withdrawal of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), could weaken Washington's international leadership and create opportunities for rivals like China and Russia.
In a statement responding to Reuters' inquiry on the 2nd, the State Department did not confirm the closure news but stated its focus on enhancing the effectiveness of diplomatic missions and following procedures to notify Congress.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio described budget control and downsizing as necessary for organizational adjustments. Furthermore, many conservatives believe the U.S. diplomatic apparatus is too bloated.
During former President Joe Biden's term, several new diplomatic missions were established in the Pacific region, an area where the U.S. and China are currently competing.
China currently does not have envoys in Douala and Winnipeg, but it has established diplomatic missions in St. George's, Nagoya, and Medan. (Editor: Liu Xiang-hua)
Source Link: https://www.rti.org.tw/news?uid=3&pid=224139
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