A while ago I asked in these pages why China’s authorities were not better at setting out a positive case for the contributions they had helped make to other countries around the world – because they are in fact legion, but detractors who want to accuse Beijing of practicing debt-trap diplomacy, for instance, will never mention them.
It may seem counter-intuitive, or even perverse, in the age of US President Donald Trump, but why is America not better at promoting itself abroad? This is something that needs to be raised in an era which is characterised not just by actual contestation with China, but by a culture on the hawkish right that borders on encouraging conflict or that suggests, in a possibly dangerously self-fulfilling way, that it is inevitable.
Everything is seen through the lens of competition. Take a report by Australia’s Lowy Institute last November which stated that China now had more missions, consulates and other representative offices around the world than the US. That prompted the headline in one publication: “The US is losing its crown to China as the world’s biggest diplomatic power”. Given that foreign service heft is measured not solely by the numbers of diplomats or embassies, that conclusion is debatable. What is not, however, is that China is getting a much better return on the money it spends abroad than the US.
Until Mr Trump announced he would stop funding for the World Health Organisation (WHO), the US had been the largest annual contributor, in the hundreds of millions per year. China contributes around a tenth of the American total. But when President Xi Jinping pledged an additional $30 million to the WHO a week after Mr Trump’s intervention he garnered plenty of favourable media coverage, for what was a minuscule amount by comparison.
As the Atlantic magazine put it recently: for years, US officials have been "worried that China kept somehow buying more influence, with less money, around the world." In the UN system in general, writes the French academic and analyst Francois Godement, while the US provides far more financial support than China, it appears that "the US talks loudly but carries a small stick" whereas "China now speaks softly but carries a big stick."
The UN has its own special dynamics; China’s ability to cast itself still as a fellow developing country and to “say no” at the Security Council as Mr Godement rightly points out, constitutes a power unquantifiable in monetary terms. But the broader point remains.
The lack of wider knowledge about what America's presence means struck me forcefully when looking at the US State Department's document on "A Free and Open Indo-Pacific" that I mentioned last week. Let some of the figures sink in: "In 2018, we conducted over $1.9 trillion in two-way trade with the region, supporting more than three million jobs in the US and 5.1 million jobs in the Indo-Pacific. All five of our non-Nato bilateral defence alliances are in the Indo-Pacific. We are also the largest donor of foreign assistance in the region, contributing $2tn in constant dollars since the end of the Second World War."
There is much, much more. But rarely are these sums spelt out so specifically. As one Malaysian analyst put it to me: “The Americans, including the private sector, have been here in Asia for ages. But they seem unable to harness that narrative and sell it like China does.”
Could Mr Trump perhaps have a point when he berates the rest of the world for being ungrateful to America? Have we all got used to taking US largesse for granted?
Now of course there are all sorts of reasons why some people or countries are not so fond of Uncle Sam. An overly interventionist foreign policy backed by a self-awarded exceptionalism that has allowed president after president to act extra-judicially or order disastrous invasions. There is a reflex anti-Americanism on much of the left; not just among those who granted too much benefit of the doubt to Communist regimes during the Cold War, but also those who dislike the inequalities resulting from the unbridled capitalism Washington champions.
Many would argue that lots of US spending overseas is not altruistic but is about upholding its “leader of the world” status. That is at least partly true; USAID, the agency which administers around half of American assistance abroad, is explicit that it is an instrument of US foreign policy.
But the figures speak for themselves – that is, when they are actually mentioned. Where would Nato have been without the US’s overwhelming defence spending? How would Europe have coped without the multibillion US Marshall Plan that helped the continent recover after the devastation of the Second World War?
What would happen to the security of Southeast Asian countries in the South China Sea if the US didn't conduct freedom of navigation operations? It is virtually risk-free for regional politicians to use anti-colonial rhetoric to win votes, but they would be terrified if US forces departed for good. And that $2tn in foreign assistance to the Indo-Pacific bears repeating.
Yes, US funds and support often come with a price tag. American officials have a long and tiresome habit of wagging their fingers at developing countries that dare to have different cultural, legal and political systems. But fears or resentments about US imperial overreach should not obscure all the good America has done in the real business of nation-building: in education, training, skills transference, infrastructure and investment.
This is no paean to America. Nor do many countries want to be placed in the invidious position of having to choose between the US and China. But perhaps when measuring up the assistance Beijing and Washington are offering, it is worth remembering that the answer to the question “just what did the Americans do for us?” is “actually, rather a lot.”
Sholto Byrnes is a commentator and consultant in Kuala Lumpur and a corresponding fellow of the Erasmus Forum
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
Understand What Black Is
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Cricket World Cup League 2 Fixtures
Saturday March 5, UAE v Oman, ICC Academy (all matches start at 9.30am)
Sunday March 6, Oman v Namibia, ICC Academy
Tuesday March 8, UAE v Namibia, ICC Academy
Wednesday March 9, UAE v Oman, ICC Academy
Friday March 11, Oman v Namibia, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Saturday March 12, UAE v Namibia, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Chirag Suri, Muhammad Waseem, CP Rizwan, Vriitya Aravind, Asif Khan, Basil Hameed, Rohan Mustafa, Kashif Daud, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Karthik Meiyappan, Akif Raja, Rahul Bhatia
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company Profile
Company name: Fine Diner
Started: March, 2020
Co-founders: Sami Elayan, Saed Elayan and Zaid Azzouka
Based: Dubai
Industry: Technology and food delivery
Initial investment: Dh75,000
Investor: Dtec Startupbootcamp
Future plan: Looking to raise $400,000
Total sales: Over 1,000 deliveries in three months
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
How Sputnik V works
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Venom
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Cast: Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed
Rating: 1.5/5
'Skin'
Dir: Guy Nattiv
Starring: Jamie Bell, Danielle McDonald, Bill Camp, Vera Farmiga
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
ENGLAND TEAM
England (15-1)
George Furbank; Jonny May, Manu Tuilagi, Owen Farrell (capt), Elliot Daly; George Ford, Ben Youngs; Tom Curry, Sam Underhill, Courtney Lawes; Charlie Ewels, Maro Itoje; Kyle Sinckler, Jamie George, Joe Marler
Replacements: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ellis Genge, Will Stuart, George Kruis, Lewis Ludlam, Willi Heinz, Ollie Devoto, Jonathan Joseph
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What is the Supreme Petroleum Council?
The Abu Dhabi Supreme Petroleum Council was established in 1988 and is the highest governing body in Abu Dhabi’s oil and gas industry. The council formulates, oversees and executes the emirate’s petroleum-related policies. It also approves the allocation of capital spending across state-owned Adnoc’s upstream, downstream and midstream operations and functions as the company’s board of directors. The SPC’s mandate is also required for auctioning oil and gas concessions in Abu Dhabi and for awarding blocks to international oil companies. The council is chaired by Sheikh Khalifa, the President and Ruler of Abu Dhabi while Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, is the vice chairman.
FIGHT CARD
Bantamweight Hamza Bougamza (MAR) v Jalal Al Daaja (JOR)
Catchweight 67kg Mohamed El Mesbahi (MAR) v Fouad Mesdari (ALG)
Lighweight Abdullah Mohammed Ali (UAE) v Abdelhak Amhidra (MAR)
Catchweight 73kg Mostafa Ibrahim Radi (PAL) v Yazid Chouchane (ALG)
Middleweight Yousri Belgaroui (TUN) v Badreddine Diani (MAR)
Catchweight 78kg Rashed Dawood (UAE) v Adnan Bushashy (ALG)
Middleweight Sallaheddine Dekhissi (MAR) v Abdel Emam (EGY)
Catchweight 65kg Rachid Hazoume (MAR) v Yanis Ghemmouri (ALG)
Lighweight Mohammed Yahya (UAE) v Azouz Anwar (EGY)
Catchweight 79kg Omar Hussein (PAL) v Souhil Tahiri (ALG)
Middleweight Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Laid Zerhouni (ALG)
The bio
Date of Birth: April 25, 1993
Place of Birth: Dubai, UAE
Marital Status: Single
School: Al Sufouh in Jumeirah, Dubai
University: Emirates Airline National Cadet Programme and Hamdan University
Job Title: Pilot, First Officer
Number of hours flying in a Boeing 777: 1,200
Number of flights: Approximately 300
Hobbies: Exercising
Nicest destination: Milan, New Zealand, Seattle for shopping
Least nice destination: Kabul, but someone has to do it. It’s not scary but at least you can tick the box that you’ve been
Favourite place to visit: Dubai, there’s no place like home
