Jeffrey Sachs

Can we keep the Chinese submarines out of the Pacific Ocean? First China, first island chain, and so forth. So, of course, they react. They're rich, they're going to build a navy so that they can get their oil on which their economy runs.

Can we be a little bit sensible with them and decide how we're not going to have choke points and then we don't have to have a nuclear war, which is really going to ruin our day? That's the point. We can think a little bit. We can understand it from their perspective. We can understand it from our perspective. Deconfliction. By the way, I don't believe India is an ally. India is a superpower.

Can we be a little bit sensible with them and decide how we're not going to have choke points and then we don't have to have a nuclear war, which is really going to ruin our day? That's the point. We can think a little bit. We can understand it from their perspective. We can understand it from our perspective. Deconfliction. By the way, I don't believe India is an ally. India is a superpower.

India is going to have its own very distinctive interests, thank you. It's not going to be an ally of the United States. I happen to like India enormously and admire their policies. But the idea that India is going to ally with the United States against China, in somebody's dream.

India is going to have its own very distinctive interests, thank you. It's not going to be an ally of the United States. I happen to like India enormously and admire their policies. But the idea that India is going to ally with the United States against China, in somebody's dream.

in Washington because it's another delusion in Washington because they should get a passport and go see the world and understand something.

in Washington because it's another delusion in Washington because they should get a passport and go see the world and understand something.

These are my failed students in Washington right now, because they didn't listen to their professor.

These are my failed students in Washington right now, because they didn't listen to their professor.

OK, first of all, Invite me back 10 years and we'll see how smart all these decisions are. Xi Jinping? No, I'm talking about, yes, we've moved to India. That's our great ally. And then we're going to have other issues. And Vietnam. Okay. I think you said that Xi Jinping's trade policy is self-imploding or something.

OK, first of all, Invite me back 10 years and we'll see how smart all these decisions are. Xi Jinping? No, I'm talking about, yes, we've moved to India. That's our great ally. And then we're going to have other issues. And Vietnam. Okay. I think you said that Xi Jinping's trade policy is self-imploding or something.

No, it's not. Let me explain what the wounds are. Okay. The wounds are the United States' deliberate policy to stop you from selling things to China and to stop China buying things from you. That's not self-inflicted wounds. Oh, no, you're wrong here. You're wrong here. Wait a minute. Just to say, let me say, please, because it's very important for the economy of the people in this room.

No, it's not. Let me explain what the wounds are. Okay. The wounds are the United States' deliberate policy to stop you from selling things to China and to stop China buying things from you. That's not self-inflicted wounds. Oh, no, you're wrong here. You're wrong here. Wait a minute. Just to say, let me say, please, because it's very important for the economy of the people in this room.

This is a decision that was taken around 2014 to contain China. And it's been systematically applied since then. And it's not a surprise that Biden kept all the things that Trump did and added more. And now Trump says, I'm going to do all the things that Biden has kept in place and I'm going to do more. This is not a self-inflicted wound. The United States has closed the market to China, okay?

This is a decision that was taken around 2014 to contain China. And it's been systematically applied since then. And it's not a surprise that Biden kept all the things that Trump did and added more. And now Trump says, I'm going to do all the things that Biden has kept in place and I'm going to do more. This is not a self-inflicted wound. The United States has closed the market to China, okay?

Is that smart? No, it's not smart. Is it leading to, is it, by the way, recuperating American manufacturing jobs? Zero. It may shift them a bit. It may make things less efficient. It may make all of you lose a bit more money or not make as much money. But is it going to solve any single economic problem in the United States? No way.

Is that smart? No, it's not smart. Is it leading to, is it, by the way, recuperating American manufacturing jobs? Zero. It may shift them a bit. It may make things less efficient. It may make all of you lose a bit more money or not make as much money. But is it going to solve any single economic problem in the United States? No way.

Yes, I know.

Yes, I know.

The reason is you've described a world. You've described, I think, better than any person I ever read or know how American foreign policy works. I think it's likely to get us all blown up. You title, not because of John, but because he's made an accurate description of a profoundly misguided approach, which is power-seeking.