EDITORIAL

The Choral Principle in Silencing the British Empire

Dec. 18 (EIRNS)—Korean violinist Won Hyung-Joon for nearly a decade has been attempting to create a joint North-South Korea orchestra, as a cultural contribution to bring peace and unity to the divided Koreas. In a presentation and concert yesterday at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., Won spoke about the way playing in an orchestra requires creative interaction which supersedes differences among the participants—in a way similar to Lyndon LaRouche’s discussion of the “choral principle.”

Won further commented that Asian music historically did not have orchestras, but primarily individual players or small groups, and that the introduction of classical culture from the West has helped develop this process in the East.

Recall, in that regard, Chinese President Xi Jinping’s frequent reference to the Belt and Road Initiative as, not a solo performance being played only by China, but more like a symphony orchestra. As then-State Councillor, and now Politburo member, Yang Jiechi put it back in 2017: “The Belt and Road Initiative was proposed by China. Yet it’s not going to be China’s solo show. A better analogy would be that of a symphony performed by an orchestra composed of all participating countries.”

That same philosophical and strategic outlook, that composition of harmony out of diversity, was again brought to bear by Xi Jinping in a major Dec. 18 policy address on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the “Reform and Opening Up” policy, which was key to creating China’s modern economic miracle. Xi not only documented China’s extraordinary economic achievements in physical economy—such as lifting 740 million people out of poverty in 40 years, and raising the average life expectancy from 67.8 years in 1981 to 76.7 today—but he also again offered the Belt and Road Initiative as the basis for win-win cooperation with all nations, especially the United States.

With life expectancy in the United States dropping for the last three years (something not seen since the early 20th century); with poverty and suffering rising across the trans-Atlantic sector still subject to the British Empire’s looting policies; with a financial blowout far larger than that of 2008 now looming before us; this is an offer which we cannot, we must not refuse. America has a leading role to play in that emerging concert of nations, which can finally silence the British Empire and its policies.

The principles of economic statecraft to achieve that have been laid out uniquely by Lyndon LaRouche. As he wrote on June 17, 1994: “The principles of scientific discovery and the principles of artistic creativity, are identical. They are also complementary. I know of very few creative scientists generally, who are not involved, usually in Classical music in some way or other, or in some form of art. It’s the most natural thing in the world. Not to have music with science, is like having only one-half of yourself. It completes you, just as it nourished me.”

THE NEW GLOBAL ECONOMIC ORDER

Xi Jinping, on 40th Anniversary of ‘Reform and Opening Up,’ Depicts ‘Grand Vision for the Future’

Dec. 18 (EIRNS)—Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a major policy address today, the 40th anniversary of the policy of “Reform and Opening Up” which created China’s extraordinary economic achievements today. Xi spoke at the Great Hall of the People before some 3,000 guests, and he asserted China’s ongoing commitment to that policy of accelerated economic development, stating that it is the only viable way of addressing the “complicated” international situation that China faces.

Xi’s remarks were broadcast live to the entire nation, and to the world on CGTN TV network with simultaneous interpretation into English. Before his speech, there was an awards ceremony for 100 people who contributed to Reform and Opening Up (ROU) over the years, complete with a Chinese “oompah” band and other pomp and circumstance. All participants sang the national anthem.

Highlights of the 90-minute speech are paraphrased below, as an official English translation has not been published as of this writing.

The first part of Xi’s speech emphasized the enormous success of the 40 years of ROU, which was implemented under Deng Xiaoping’s leadership after China was ravaged by the Cultural Revolution, and was on the brink of collapse. It is true that there are material forces of history that shape the environment, but man can act to change his history, and those policies had to be reversed. It is not true that poverty is equal to socialism. Under Deng, the priority was shifted to economic development, and to pursue socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Xi emphasized the importance of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Nov. 5-10 China International Import Expo, in terms of China’s growing role in the world.

The second section of the speech reviewed the extraordinary economic achievements of the last 40 years, with a focus on key physical economic parameters. China has a modern industrial sector, has advanced in science and technology, and has built lots of infrastructure, such as the South-North water project and extensive high-speed rail lines. China is #2 in the world in GDP, having grown 9.5% per year on average over this period, and #1 in manufacturing. China has lifted 740 million people out of poverty in the 40 years, reducing the poverty head count ratio by 94.4%. The nation has built the world’s largest social security system, with the basic old-age pension covering more than 900 million people and medical insurance covering over 1.3 billion people. China has bid farewell to the problems that plagued its people for thousands of years, including hunger, shortage and poverty. Life expectancy has increased dramatically, from 67.8 years in 1981 to 76.6 years in 2017. In education, 93.8% of the age group have received compulsory 9 years of education.

China’s development over the past 40 years has effectively served the cause of world peace and development. We have been able to industrialize in a few decades, what it took other countries centuries to achieve. This is a high tribute to the entire nation.

In the third section, Xi turned to the future. We will further promote ROU, always enhancing the role of the Chinese Communist Party. We will maintain a people-oriented approach. We will stay the course of socialism with Chinese characteristics: No one can dictate to us what we will do. Development remains our top national priority. That is based on innovation, and finding new engines of growth. Talent is our most important resource.

We will keep building a “community of a shared future for mankind”; China cannot develop itself in isolation from the world, and the world needs China for global prosperity. We promote win-win policies internationally. We will keep working jointly on the BRI: We will never pursue this at the cost of others’ interests; we will never seek revenge.

Xi then praised the Chinese military, under Communist Party direction. He said that Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao will continue to express the policy of “one country, two systems,” adding that we won’t allow even an inch of China to be separated.

The fourth, summary section, was a powerful mobilization call to the nation, and a message to the world. China is a country with more than 5,000 years of civilization and more than 1.3 billion people. No one is in a position to dictate to the Chinese people what should or should not be done.

The Old Silk Road embraced the entire world, and we are doing the same thing now. We need a “grand vision” for the future. What we have done so far is only the prologue to the drama. We Chinese are good at building the new world, because we never lose confidence in the future, come rain or shine. Building that great dream comes from hard work, not chanting slogans. We must press ahead; there is no turning back from the irresistible driving force for our national rejuvenation. China will stay committed to the ROU, and we will create miracles that will impress the world.

Media Preview Xi Speech: Stay with ‘Reform and Opening Up,’ Ignore Calls To ‘Rashly Confront Washington’

Dec. 18 (EIRNS)—In the 48 hours prior to Xi Jinping’s major address on the 40th anniversary of China’s Reform and Opening Up policy, Chinese media such as Global Times indicated that Xi Jinping had overcome opposition to continuing with the highly successful ROU approach. For example, a Dec. 17 Global Times editorial wrote:

“China’s reform and opening-up experienced one of its most complicated times in years in terms of the external environment. If Beijing were not categorically resolute in opening-up, it might rashly mobilize the country to confront Washington. Instead, China remains principled, patient and resilient, choosing to stand up to unfavorable forces.”

Another Global Times article indicated that “doubts have arisen about how far down the same path the nation is willing to go in the future…. The reform and opening-up policy is the root of all of China’s economic achievements over the past four decades.”

An article yesterday for Russia’s RT also reflected this policy discussion: “China’s record in poverty reduction since reform and opening up is without parallel in human history, according to Wang Yiwei, professor of the School of International Studies at Renmin University… Experts, including those from the Chinese Commerce Ministry, say Beijing should stick to the reform and opening up policy if it wants to resolve trade tensions with the United States.”

‘Restoring Peace in the Korean Peninsula Through Music’

Dec. 18 (EIRNS)—“Restoring Peace in the Korean Peninsula Through Music” was the title of a concert and lecture last night at George Washington University in Washington by Korean violinist Won Hyung-Joon, the Music Director of the Lindenbaum Orchestra in Seoul. Won, who has performed as a soloist with orchestras around the world, has spent the last nine years attempting to create a joint North-South Korea orchestra as a cultural contribution to reconciliation between the divided Koreas, but has met roadblocks to nearly every promising opening. Now, as a result of the recent steps toward reconciliation, with summits between Kim Jong-un and both Moon Jae-in and Donald Trump, Won has been appointed as Seoul’s liaison to the North Korean Ministry of Culture. The first cooperative event will take place Dec. 30 in the South, with Won performing with a female vocalist from the North. Efforts toward a joint orchestra are under discussion, with Won hopeful that it can come together over the next year, perhaps for performances in Washington and elsewhere.

Won played short videos of Daniel Barenboim’s joint Israeli-Palestinian orchestra performing Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, which he said had been a major inspiration to his own effort as a peace activist through music. He also played a clip from the Isaac Stern “Mao to Mozart” documentary, in which Stern asks a young Chinese violinist to sing the musical passage she was playing, and one of the New York Philharmonic performing Arirang during their famous trip to North Korea in 2008. After his studies at Juilliard, Won had continued his studies with the Concertmaster at the New York Philharmonic.

In his lecture and discussion, he described the process of performing in an orchestra in a manner very similar to Lyndon LaRouche’s notion of the “choral principle”—that each individual member must learn to both play beautifully, but also to harmonize and coordinate with all of the other members, and the conductor, in a creative interaction which supersedes differences among the participants, even deep-seated national, cultural or ethnic prejudices or customs. “It’s not a formula,” he said, “where you play music and then there is peace. But it is a process which inspires more profound thinking, which is necessary for peace.”

Interestingly, Won said that Asian music historically did not have orchestras, but was primarily individual players or very small groups. The introduction of classical music from the West thus created an important process of orchestra formation, which has had a major influence on expanding Eastern cultural development.

He also stated that the classical music tradition in North Korea is quite advanced—that promising young musicians had for many years been sent to Russia, Germany and elsewhere in the West to study, and that the people of the North were deeply committed to classical music.

U.S. POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC

Flynn Case: Judge Sullivan Gotten to by Either ‘Trump Derangement’ or National Security State

Dec. 18 (EIRNS)—From the available reporting, Federal Judge Emmet Sullivan went completely off the rails today in the sentencing hearing concerning Michael Flynn. Judge Sullivan appears to have a case of “Trump derangement syndrome” in full bloom or to be under some other nefarious influence, possibly located in the numerous sealed Mueller filings in the case, or other national security whisperings from the intelligence community.

According to press accounts, Judge Sullivan began the hearing by examining Flynn and his attorneys under oath concerning whether or not Flynn was really pleading guilty to making false statements to the FBI on Jan. 24, 2017 concerning a discussion of sanctions with then-Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak; whether Flynn knew that lying to the FBI was a crime prior to his FBI interview; and whether or not Flynn was really accepting responsibility, or claiming that he was entrapped or coerced into pleading guilty.

In answer to the judge’s questions both Flynn and his lawyer said they were not withdrawing the guilty plea, that Flynn was guilty as charged, that Flynn knowingly lied, and that Flynn was not claiming entrapment by the Department of Justice. All of this was somewhat expected under the circumstances.

What next occurred, from all published accounts, was not normal. Judge Sullivan reportedly launched into a tirade against Flynn, expressing “disdain” for him, underlining what he claimed to be the extremely serious nature of the crime of lying to the FBI, saying falsely, that Flynn was acting on behalf of foreign governments, including Turkey while serving as National Security Advisor from the White House, and asking the prosecutor, outrageously, whether Michael Flynn, who is a decorated combat veteran, had committed treason. Judge Sullivan repeatedly signaled that he could very well impose a prison sentence on Flynn and asked whether or not Flynn’s lawyers wished to delay the sentencing hearing so that Flynn could “cooperate further” with the government.

Sullivan reportedly called a recess after his angry outburst and returned to the court in a much calmer frame of mind, deliberately walking back many of his most unhinged and outrageous statements and attempting a show of being even-handed. But, the original angry outburst and threat to impose a prison sentence clearly signaled where this judge presently stands. When he asked for the third time whether Flynn and his attorneys wanted to postpone sentencing to allow for further “cooperation,” Flynn and his attorneys asked that sentencing be postponed for 90 days and the judge ordered that delay.

Pot Users Can Lose IQ, Can’t Handle Advanced Technology or Space Exploration Science

Dec. 18 (EIRNS)—A recent study in Colorado—the first of ten U.S. states where “recreational” marijuana has been legalized—found that for every $1 raised in tax revenue, $4.50 must be spent to mitigate the negative impacts caused by its legalization. Costs related to the healthcare system and from high school dropouts represent the largest share.

In Colorado, the estimated cost of DUIs (driving under the influence) of those who tested positive for pot use approaches $25 million.

In New York State, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who last year opposed pot legalization, has now made an about-face, Dr. Kevin Sabet, of “Smart Approaches to Marijuana” New York branch, writes in the New York Post yesterday. Sabet points out that “today’s highly potent pot is harmful and severely impacts the ability of young people to learn, impairs memory, increases the risk of serious mental illness, and can even lead to a loss of IQ points. It makes our state less competitive and puts workers at risk due to workplace accidents.”

Marijuana users are, he says, almost three times more likely to abuse hard drugs such as opioids, according to studies. Washington, D.C. saw public consumption and distribution arrests nearly triple after legalization, and a disproportionate number of those arrests occurred among African-Americans.

STRATEGIC WAR DANGER

British Empire Attacks China Again: ARTE TV Airs ‘The World According To Xi Jinping’

PARIS, Dec. 18 (EIRNS)—This evening the Franco-German ARTE TV channel air an ostensible documentary, entitled “The World According To Xi Jinping.” It’s an all-out neo-con attack against China’s President Xi Jinping and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The film has the heavy, anti-Communist propaganda style, reminiscent of the McCarthy era, with anxiety background music added to at least half the content.

The first part is a “psychological profile” of Xi Jinping, presented as a new Mao. Xi is alleged to be suffering from the Stockholm syndrome of those who have been tortured, and adopt the identity of their torturer in order to stop the suffering. This would apply to Xi Jinping because he, as a “red prince,” saw the hideous downfall of his father and his family during the Cultural Revolution, and in order to deal with it, the young Xi became more revolutionary and more Maoist than the Red Guards. This is supposed to explain his so-called authoritarian orientation.

The film’s authors then come to what drives them up the wall: Xi’s Belt and Road Initiative, which they describe in some detail only to characterize it as an imperialist ploy to counter “the American and Western power.” The “win-win” phrase, they say, is double-talk and that China is actually attacking the universal values of the West: liberal democracy, human rights, individual freedom, etc.

But China and Xi’s goal of industrializing Africa seems to irritate the filmmakers the most. Every year Xi Jinping organizes a tour of African states to promote the Chinese model, in which, lo and behold, the “first of human rights is the right to economic development.” The Chinese always use the same approach, ARTE complains. They approach Africans with the line (which also happens to be accurate): “We have succeeded to get out of poverty in 30 years, we didn’t follow the Western model, but we came wealthy and we are now developed.”

ARTE’s choice of people to interview makes their message obvious: former British and U.S. ambassadors to China, Kerry Brown and Max Baucus respectively; former CIA analyst Christopher Johnson; and think tankers such as Nadège Rolland, Senior Fellow for Political and Security Affairs at the National Bureau of Asian Research (NBR), who five years ago had written an interesting paper on the BRI, and who since has made an about-face; Prof. Jean-Pierre Cabestan, of Hong Kong Baptist University; François Godement at the European Council on Foreign relations.

Of the two filmmakers, Sophie Lepault is most interesting. She is a former 12-year collaborator of Daniel Leconte at his production company, Doc en Stock. In 2004 they produced a raving film for ARTE, denouncing Lyndon LaRouche and others for having attacked the war against Iraq and the George Bush’s role with the Saudis in 9/11.

State Department’s Kurt Volker Incites Escalation of Tensions Between Ukraine and Russia

Dec. 18 (EIRNS)—Press reporting of remarks in Brussels by U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations Kurt Volker clearly indicate that, among other things, he is on a full court press to get even more sanctions imposed on Russia, to punish Moscow for whatever it’s accused of having done in the Nov 25 Kerch Strait incident. Volker claimed yesterday that “the notion that there needs to be a response and some additional sanctions … seems to be one that’s gaining some traction [in Europe] and I would not be surprised at all to see that happen in the next month or two.”

In fact, the U.S. might step up its military presence in the Black Sea: “I think that there are things that we should now be looking at that maybe we weren’t looking at before—to increase presence in the Black Sea, whether on a bilateral basis or under EU auspices.”

According to RT, Volker also stressed that a military aid package of $250 million for the Kiev regime is moving through the U.S. Congress, which includes the ability to sell additional equipment. He also claimed that Ukraine is “under attack” by Russia and advocated for a Western military presence “in and around Ukraine” to “raise the visibility of Russia’s actions.”

Lawmakers with the Russian Duma, the lower house of Russia’s legislature, slammed Volker’s comments as “destructive” and tending towards escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine. “This confirms once again that the U.S. regards Ukraine as a puppet and a proxy for implementing its aggressive designs against Russia,” Yuri Shvytkin, deputy chair of the Duma’s Defense and Security Committee, told RT. “By supplying Ukraine with any types of weapons, the U.S. encouraged the escalation of tensions with Russia in the first place, which of course does not benefit stability in the region,” Shvytkin declared.

“Russia did nothing illegal, so there is nothing for the U.S. and its vassals to respond to,” Sen. Olga Kovitidi, of the Federation Council’s Defense and Security Committee, told RT. “U.S. actions are aimed at the global escalation of conflicts through incitement and unfair competition.”

RT stated that “though President Donald Trump advocated better relations with Russia during his 2016 campaign, he has since gone along with hardliners in Washington due to the constant—but unsubstantiated—accusations that he ‘colluded’ with Russia to ‘steal’ the election from Hillary Clinton.”

COLLAPSING WESTERN FINANCIAL SYSTEM

Financial Media Suddenly Get Religion, Discover the Crash

Dec. 18 (EIRNS)—One wonders how much of the media discussion of a looming financial crash is just histrionics to try get the Fed (which meets today and tomorrow), to not proceed with an expected quarter-point interest rate rise—or, even better, to somehow get back to the good old days of untrammeled QE. Bloomberg writes about the ongoing stock market crash of December, calling it a “stock rout,” “a new and ominous phase,” “the selling just gets worse,” “carnage,” etc. They state that on Monday there were 883 million more shares sold than bought, because “nobody thinks monetary policy is likely to loosen.” CNBC reports that “both the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 are on pace for their worst December performance since 1931.”

Zero Hedge, for its part, says that “the Everything Bubble has officially burst,” and that “the leveraged loan market has officially blown up. The bull market here is over. Things are actually so bad that banks are pulling deals, because they are unable to sell loans to investors anymore. This collapse is not reserved to just leveraged loans. The entire investment grade corporate bond market has broken its bull market trend line running back to 2010…. The financial media is polishing the brass on the titanic. This whole mess is going down.”

So what should be done about all of this? Zero Hedge urges its readers to buy its latest special report about how to make a killing in the collapse! “In it we outline precisely how the crash will unfold as well as which investments will perform best during a stock market crash. Today is the last day this report will be available to the public … no more extensions.”

Bush and Obama Never Put Any Wall Street Bankers in Jail—But Mahathir Will!

Dec. 18 (EIRNS)— Malaysia’s Attorney General Tommy Thomas on Dec. 17 issued criminal charges under Malaysia’s security laws against Goldman Sachs and several Goldman employees for their role in the massive fraud carried out by the former government of Najib Razak and his One Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). Goldman ran the $6.5 billion in bond issues for 1MDB, from which $2.4 billion went missing, $600 million went to Goldman in fees, and $700 million turned up in Najib’s personal bank accounts.

Although not a single banker went to jail under Bush or Obama for the massive crimes which brought on the last crash in 2008, Dr. Mahathir, who returned to power in the May election based to a great extent on his pledge to prosecute Najib and others involved, is not a pawn of Wall Street.

The Financial Times reported today: “Goldman Sachs International, based in London, Goldman Sachs (Singapore) PTE, and Goldman Sachs (Asia) LLC, which is registered in Delaware but based in Hong Kong, were all named in the charge sheets, which were published on Tuesday [Dec. 18]…. The charges also cast a wider net over Goldman and its global business, which market experts said could threaten the U.S. bank’s reputation if the charges were to result in prosecution.”

Malaysia’s Attorney General Thomas also said he would seek fines and jail sentences of up to 10 years against the bank and two former Goldman employees, Tim Leissner and Roger Ng Chong Hwa (who was also indicted in the U.S. last month for the same case), who are accused of conspiring with two 1MDB employees to bribe public officials to get the job of underwriting the bonds, and helping to divert $2.7 billion to private hands. Thomas said Malaysia would seek “multiples” of this sum, as well as the $600 million exorbitant fee charged by Goldman, in court.

Goldman’s initial response was to say that the Najib government lied to the bank about everything, and that their own hands are clean. But, as Mahathir demonstrated back in 1998 by cutting off the Soros speculators and the IMF dictates, when he imposed currency controls, he is not the puppet of Wall Street that Bush and Obama were.