United States Indo-Pacific forces chief Admiral Samuel Paparo on Wednesday strongly advocated for the continued funding of US Agency for International Development (USAID) programs in the Pacific Islands, a region where the US influence faces stiff competition from China.
During a congressional hearing, Paparo was asked whether the United States was losing opportunities due to reduced support for the USAID during the Trump administration and the underutilization of the Coast Guard in the Pacific Islands.
“USAID aid is under review, and I’ll be advocating most strongly for that aid for all of the countries, and the Coast Guard provides a critical role in the South Pacific,” Paparo said. He addressed these concerns before the House Armed Services Committee.
On whether China would fill the vacuum created by the rollback in aid, Paparo said: “The People’s Republic of China sees these opportunities, and they seize them.”
USAID, the government agency responsible for foreign assistance, has faced significant cutbacks driven by billionaire Elon Musk, a senior adviser to President Donald Trump, as part of efforts to reduce government spending.
Since February, the agency has placed most of its staff on administrative leave, terminated hundreds of contractors, and ended over 5,000 programs, disrupting critical humanitarian aid operations that support millions worldwide.
General Michael Langley, head of US forces in Africa, warned last week that China is seeking to capitalize on the reduction of USAID activities across the African continent.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on February confirmed that the United States has exempted its security aid to the Philippines from its pause on global foreign aid.
DFA spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza said Washington DC notified Manila that it issued a waiver to a “portion” of its foreign military financing for the Philippines.
“Both countries are committed to the treaty alliance and to efforts to further strengthen our defense cooperation and interoperability,” Daza said.
“We will continue to engage the US government on the importance of our bilateral work in supporting our shared goals and priorities,” she added.
Last year, former US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III and State Secretary Antony Blinken announced the grant of assistance worth USD500 million for the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine Coast Guard.
