The proposed closures have drawn criticism from Democrats and several former foreign policy and national security officials,Washington: The United States is moving ahead with plans to shut five diplomatic missions in Canada, Japan, Indonesia, Cameroon and Grenada as part of a broader effort to reduce its global diplomatic footprint and streamline government operations. According to Reuters, the US State Department has informed congressional committees of its proposal to close the US Embassy in St George's, Grenada; consulates in Nagoya (Japan), Medan (Indonesia) and Winnipeg (Canada); and its embassy branch office in Douala, Cameroon. The move marks one of the rare occasions when Washington has sought to reduce multiple overseas diplomatic missions outside the context of an international conflict or security crisis. Critics also contend that scaling back diplomatic missions, along with the dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), could create opportunities for rivals such as China and Russia to expand their influence. According to Reuters, while China does not maintain diplomatic missions in Douala or Winnipeg, it has an established diplomatic presence in St George's, Nagoya and Medan, where the United States is considering closures.