China Flexes Muscles at UN Cultural Agency as Trump Exits UNESCO
China is asserting growing influence within UNESCO—using its financial and institutional weight at the U.N.’s cultural agency—just as former President Trump moves ahead with a new U.S. withdrawal from the organization. What We Found The U.S. officially decided on July 22, 2025 to withdraw from UNESCO again, effective December 31, 2026, citing concerns over anti-Israel bias, “woke” cultural policies, and excessive Chinese influence. China has become UNESCO's largest contributor, supplying almost 20% of its budget as of 2023—far outpacing the U.S., which now contributes around 8% thanks to diversified funding. Chinese-backed projects and heritage listings—like protection of Uyghur and other minority cultural properties—have made Beijing a dominant force in UNESCO decision-making and programming. Analysts and U.S. officials emphasize that the U.S. absence creates a vacuum eventually filled by China, ceding global norm-setting authority especially around cultural governance and AI policy. […]