Jeffrey Sachs: If America’s winning, why are we so afraid of China?
Renowned economist and Columbia University professor Jeffrey Sachs has cast doubt on the idea that the United States is “winning” under the leadership of former President Donald Trump, arguing that Washington’s increasingly protectionist stance is a sign of economic insecurity rather than dominance.
In an interview with Global South World, Sachs said that U.S. tariffs and trade barriers against China reveal a defensive posture masked by political bravado.
“If you have to protect the economy, you're not winning. You're in defence. The U.S. is afraid of China because China is so productive, low-cost, hyper competitive,” Sachs said.
The remarks come amid a renewed Trump-led campaign for the White House, during which he has doubled down on his “America First” trade agenda. Trump has frequently claimed that the U.S. is “winning” against foreign competitors, particularly China, through tariffs and reshoring initiatives.
But Sachs dismisses this as superficial showmanship, arguing that the numbers and the global demand for Chinese goods tell a different story.
Sachs also took aim at U.S. claims that China suffers from “overcapacity,” a term used by American officials to describe what they view as China producing more than global markets can absorb. In contributing to the debate, Sachs stated, “That just means America has undercapacity. That’s all it means. The world needs what China can produce, and it wants it.”
“Trump is a good showman. He's filled with bluster,” Sachs added. “He says, ‘I'm a winner, we’re a winner,’ but what does it really mean when you have to win by imposing barriers against China?”
Meanwhile, Trump has hinted at a possible softening of his trade war stance with China, stating that the steep tariffs currently in place, some exceeding 145%, “will come down substantially, but it won’t be zero.”
