by SAVIOUS KWINIKA
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – GLOBALLY renowned economist Jeffrey Sachs has declared that China has overtaken the United States as the world’s largest economy when measured by purchasing power parity (PPP), underscoring what many analysts describe as a profound structural shift in global economic power.
“What I projected 30 years ago has come to pass. China has overtaken the United States as the world’s largest economy,” Sachs announced on social media platform X.
Sachs, a professor at Columbia University and a longtime advisor to the United Nations, has consistently argued that China’s rise reflects long-term industrial transformation, strategic planning, and sustained investment in human capital and infrastructure.
According to data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), China surpassed the United States in gross domestic product (GDP) measured by PPP several years ago, a metric many economists use to compare real productive capacity across nations.
Sachs reinforced this broader assessment, stating: “China is on par or ahead of the United States in almost every area of industry.”
China’s ascent traces back to its late-20th-century industrial reforms, which triggered one of the fastest development transformations in modern history.
From advanced manufacturing and artificial intelligence (AI) to renewable energy and electric vehicles, China now plays a central role in global supply chains.
In technology, Chinese firms lead in 5G infrastructure and battery production. In renewable energy, China is the world’s largest producer of solar panels and wind turbines.
Its electric vehicle sector has expanded rapidly, with domestic brands competing globally. In high-speed rail, China operates the world’s largest network, while its shipbuilding industry dominates global output.
The country has also modernized its maritime logistics infrastructure, with several of the world’s busiest ports located along its eastern seaboard.
China’s poverty alleviation record has also drawn attention.
The World Bank has credited the country with lifting hundreds of millions of people out of extreme poverty over the past four decades — one of the most significant development achievements in history.
Public reaction to Sachs’ remarks was swift.
Albert Levison commented: “We knew this long time ago, but we were only waiting to hear it coming from mouths of qualified persons like Prof Sachs. America is now history, and China is the future.”
Another commentator, Miss Polly, wrote: “China builds. The US bombs. China lifts people out of poverty. The US sends people into poverty. China builds relationships and makes friends. The US destroys relationships and makes enemies. China is the future. The US is history.”
Tony Tang added: “With four times population and efficiency, it is no doubt China is a bigger economy than the US.”
Observers note that China’s development strategy has emphasized infrastructure investment, industrial policy, and global trade partnerships, including the Belt and Road Initiative.
Sachs has frequently advocated for cooperative global development, sustainable energy transitions, and multilateral engagement rather than confrontation.
At the same time, debates continue regarding U.S. global leadership and foreign policy priorities.
Critics argue that decades of costly military interventions and geopolitical tensions have strained U.S. public finances and diverted attention from domestic infrastructure renewal and industrial competitiveness.
Supporters counter that the U.S. remains a leader in innovation, higher education, and financial markets.
Sachs’ broader body of work, including The End of Poverty, emphasizes sustainable development and global cooperation as pathways to long-term prosperity.
His latest remarks add weight to the growing recognition that economic power is becoming more multipolar.
Whether measured by industrial output, infrastructure scale, technological capacity, or poverty reduction, China’s rise marks one of the defining economic transformations of the 21st century — a shift that continues to reshape the global balance of power.
— CAJ News