Following President Donald Trump's executive order withdrawing the U.S. from 66 international organizations, Chinese experts and officials have sharply criticized the move as undermining global governance and U.S. credibility.
President Donald Trump's Wednesday executive order—announced earlier in the day—withdrawing the U.S. from 66 international bodies has drawn swift international backlash, particularly from China.
The order targets organizations the administration deems ineffective or harmful to U.S. interests, including key climate bodies like the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (basis for the Paris Agreement), UN Women, and the UN Population Fund.
Yuan Sha, deputy director of the China Institute of International Studies' Department for Global Governance and International Organizations, highlighted the focus on climate, environmental, education, health, and development aid groups. She warned of a "considerable negative impact," including financial crises as the U.S. funds about 20% of the UN system's budget. "They are likely to face operational and functional crises," Yuan said, adding that it could undermine these organizations' effectiveness and authority.
Zhu Jiejin, deputy director of Fudan University's Center for the Study of the UN and International Organizations, called it a departure from international norms, noting the unprecedented speed and scale compared to Trump's first term. "The Trump administration is now bypassing those protocols by directly ceasing participation and funding," Zhu said, citing the recent shutdown of the U.S. Agency for International Development.
At a Thursday briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning reaffirmed China's commitment to multilateralism and the UN's role in global affairs.
Experts frame the U.S. actions as "America First" unilateralism, eroding multilateralism. "Trump's approach of 'use it if it fits, quit if it doesn't' prioritizes absolute national interests," Zhu argued, warning of a return to 'law of the jungle.' Yuan noted other nations would seek to fill the gaps.
