The global economy is not a zero-sum game, and China’s rise should be viewed as an opportunity rather than a threat, said prominent U.S. economist Jeffrey Sachs on Tuesday.
Instead, countries around the world should pursue shared prosperity and sustainable development through regional cooperation, Sachs said here at a discussion.
Sachs, also director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University, noted that traditional zero-sum thinking stems from social Darwinist ideas that became widespread in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
“The idea that life is inevitably a struggle, that it is ‘either them or us,’ is simply not true,” he said.
Modern economic well-being is not determined by competition over scarce resources, he said. “Economic well-being comes from technology, skills and effective governance.”
On China’s development model, Sachs said that China’s experience offers important lessons for global governance, noting that through systematic planning over five- and ten-year horizons, the Chinese government has laid out detailed strategies for key sectors, industries and technologies, enabling the country to become a global leader in many emerging fields.
This success, he said, demonstrates how long-term planning and sustained investment can drive economic growth without coming at the expense of other countries.
China’s development should not be viewed as a threat, Sachs said, adding that the rhetoric portraying China as an enemy is often promoted by people who have never visited the country.
“My advice to the U.S. Congress is simple: Get a passport, go see the world and look at how things really are,” he said.
Looking ahead, Sachs argued that the world should move toward cooperation rather than confrontation. “What I envision is a world of regional cooperation, where regions integrate internally while remaining open to one another,” he said.
In his view, the world could consist of interconnected regions, each achieving prosperity and security through coordination and collaboration. This approach, he said, is far more sustainable than models based on geopolitical rivalry or unilateral dominance, and more beneficial for the development of all parties.
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