China has long sought greater influence in international bodies. Now, as the White House cuts funding for the United Nations and other global organizations, it finally has its chance.

中国长期以来一直寻求扩大在国际机构中的影响力。如今，随着白宫削减对联合国及其他全球组织的资金支持，中国终于迎来了机会。

And instead of trying to match America’s deep pockets, as once seemed necessary, Beijing can gain influence on the cheap.

北京无需再像过去那样与美国展开财力比拼，如今可以用较低成本来获得影响力。

The Trump administration has canceled billions in funding for the United Nations, the U.S. Agency for International Development and other international aid agencies. The clawback has aggravated a pre-existing U.N. budget crisis, prompting widespread cuts.

特朗普政府已取消对联合国、美国国际开发署等国际援助机构数十亿美元的资助，这加剧了联合国本已存在的预算危机，导致开支广遭削减。

Chinese officials have long denounced multilateral efforts on labor rights, minority rights and other areas as an excuse for meddling in countries’ affairs. They are seizing the opportunity to diminish that work. At meetings in Geneva, the center of U.N. human rights work, China has joined with Cuba, Iran, Russia and Venezuela to propose saving money by scaling back human rights inquiries, a New York Times investigation found.

中国官员长期以来批评联合国在劳工权利、少数群体权利等领域的多边努力是干涉他国内政的借口。如今他们正抓住机会削弱这些工作。《纽约时报》调查发现，在联合国人权工作的中心所在地——日内瓦举行的会议上，中国与古巴、伊朗、俄罗斯和委内瑞拉等国联合提议，通过缩减人权调查来节省资金。

Chinese officials have argued that while Washington is pulling back, Beijing is upholding global values. On Sept. 12, a Chinese former U.N. official wrote in China Daily, a state-run newspaper, that with the “doubts and challenges facing the U.N., it is notable that China has been a steadfast supporter of the U.N.’s global governance endeavors, standing firm in shaping solutions to global challenges.”

中国官员辩称，在华盛顿退缩之际，北京正在维护全球价值观。9月12日，一位中国前联合国官员在官方媒体《中国日报》撰文称，面对“联合国遭遇的质疑与挑战，值得注意的是，中国始终坚定支持联合国的全球治理努力，在应对全球挑战的解决方案中立场坚定”。

Influence for Less

以较少投入赢得影响力

In fact, China has contributed to the U.N. budget crunch by paying its dues so late in the year that they cannot be used. But the U.S. retreat is overshadowing that reality.

事实上，中国也在一定程度上加剧了联合国的预算紧张，因为它往往到年末才缴纳会费，导致资金无法及时得到使用。但美国的撤退掩盖了这一现实。

“We’ve seen China in recent days move to position themselves rhetorically as a defender of multilateralism and a responsible member state,” said Eugene Chen, a former U.N. official now at a U.N. research organization.

“近日我们看到，中国在话语层面自我标榜为多边主义捍卫者和负责任的成员国，”前联合国官员、目前在一家联合国研究机构任职的尤金·陈（音）表示。

The Chinese Embassy in Washington said in a statement that “international institutions are platforms for international cooperation, not arenas for geopolitical rivalry. China has never intended to challenge or replace the United States.”

中国驻美大使馆则声明称：“国际机构是国际合作的平台，不是地缘政治竞争的舞台。中国从未意图挑战或取代美国。”

At a recent gathering of leaders from countries including India, Russia and many Central Asian nations in the Chinese city of Tianjin, President Xi Jinping of China introduced what he called a “Global Governance Initiative,” an extensive but loosely defined vision for reshaping international institutions. The proposal called for a greater voice for developing nations, in line with Beijing’s push to curb Western dominance in global bodies.

最近在天津举行的一次印度、俄罗斯及中亚多国领导人参加的会议上，习近平主席提出了所谓“全球治理倡议”，这是一个广泛但定义松散的重塑国际机构愿景。该提议呼吁发展中国家拥有更大话语权，符合北京遏制西方在全球机构中主导地位的努力。

The U.N. secretary general, António Guterres, who attended the meeting, welcomed Mr. Xi’s proposal. “We are moving towards a multipolar world,” he said.

出席会议的联合国秘书长古特雷斯对此表示欢迎，称“我们正走向一个多极化的世界”。

Beyond the United Nations, Beijing is filling some of the gap left by Washington in global aid, though on a leaner budget. When an earthquake devastated Myanmar in March, China swiftly dispatched search-and-rescue teams to comb through the rubble. The United States sent help later, taking longer than usual because of upheaval at U.S.A.I.D.

除联合国外，北京也在以更精简的预算填补华盛顿留下的全球援助空白。今年3月，缅甸发生强烈地震，中国迅速派出搜救队在废墟中展开救援；美国因国际开发署内部动荡，导致响应行动比往常要慢。

And after President Trump withdrew from World Health Organization this year, China pledged $500 million in funding over five years — far less than the United States most likely would have paid, but enough to win it headlines and good will.

在特朗普今年退出世界卫生组织后，中国承诺在五年内提供5亿美元资金——远低于美国原本可能承担的金额，但足以赢得媒体头条和国际好感。

A Selective Approach

选择性参与策略

Mr. Trump’s pick for U.N. ambassador, Michael Waltz, said at his confirmation hearing in July that it was “absolutely critical” for the United States to counter China at the United Nations. But the White House has said that the global body does not serve U.S. interests, and that China already has too much influence over its operations.

特朗普提名的美国驻联合国大使人选迈克尔·沃尔兹在7月的确认听证会上表示，美国在联合国制衡中国“至关重要”。但白宫宣称联合国不符合美国利益，且中国对该组织运作的影响力已过大。

The Trump administration has not yet announced the results of a sweeping review, due last month, into U.S. involvement in international organizations. The review is expected to prompt an American withdrawal from more U.N. agencies. Mr. Trump withdrew from several agencies this year.

特朗普政府尚未公布原定于上月完成的关于美国参与国际组织的全面评估结果。此次评估预计将导致美国退出更多联合国机构。特朗普今年已退出多个联合国机构。

American diplomats have told their European counterparts in Geneva that going forward, the White House will take a selective approach to the United Nations. That most likely means staying in technical agencies that set policy on critical technologies but retreating from broader ones that work on issues like human rights and development.

美国外交官已告知日内瓦的欧洲同级官员，白宫将对联合国采取选择性参与策略。这很可能意味着美国继续留在制定关键技术政策的专门机构，但退出涉及人权和发展等更广泛议题的机构。

But even at the technical agencies, there are signs that Washington is losing ground. In June, China won a bid to host a crucial 2027 conference for the International Telecommunication Union, a U.N. agency that sets policy for satellite communication and internet cables, defeating a last-minute bid from the United States.

然而，即使在技术性机构中，美国也在失去阵地。今年6月，中国成功申办2027年国际电信联盟关键会议，击败了美国最后时刻提出的申办方案。该联合国机构负责制定卫星通信和互联网电缆政策。

European diplomats in Geneva said they fear that with the United States largely absent at the United Nations, some agencies will be ceded to a loose alliance of largely undemocratic countries in which China plays an influential role.

驻日内瓦欧洲外交官担心，随着美国基本缺席联合国事务的情况下，一些机构可能会被一个以中国为核心的、主要由非民主国家组成的松散联盟所主导。

“There was a more strategic way of doing this, instead of letting China say, ‘We’re going to bring in some small amount money to keep this project going,’” said Allison Lombardo, an expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington and a former State Department official. “That’s a public diplomacy win for them. All over the world now, they can point to where the United States is absent.”

“我们本可以采取更具战略性的措施，而不是任由中国宣称‘我们投入少量资金来维持这个项目运作’，”华盛顿战略与国际研究中心专家、前国务院官员艾莉森·隆巴多指出。“这对他们来说是公共外交的胜利。在世界各地，凡有美国缺席之处，中国都能借此大做文章。”