China, India and why Jeffrey Sachs says the US needs to make the UN great again
Prominent economist calls for Asian giants to overcome border disputes and stabilize global order.
In a significant diplomatic proposal, prominent US economist Jeffrey Sachs has called for China to support India's bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. Speaking at a seminar hosted by the Beijing-based Centre for China and Globalisation, the Columbia University professor argued that such a move would advance 'true, stable multipolarity' and help stabilize the global system. Sachs urged the two Asian powers to overcome deep-seated historical grievances and political distrust, notably the long-standing Himalayan border dispute—a legacy of British colonial-era agreements that led to deadly clashes in the Galwan Valley in 2020.
Sachs framed the proposal as a strategic necessity, advising India not to become 'a pawn in a US game to hold China back.' He called on China and India to 'settle the old British score' and recognize their shared interests. Beyond the India-China dynamic, Sachs, a known advocate for multilateralism and critic of former US President Donald Trump's policies, also suggested the United Nations should establish a major operational base in Beijing to transform it into a more genuinely global institution, implicitly critiquing current Western-centric structures.
- Jeffrey Sachs proposed China should support India as the sixth permanent UN Security Council member.
- He urged the two nations to overcome historical border disputes stemming from British colonial agreements.
- Sachs also suggested the UN base a major operation in Beijing to become a more global body.
Why It Matters
This proposal challenges current geopolitical alliances and could reshape power dynamics within the UN's most influential body.