EIR Daily Alert Service, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10, 2018

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EDITORIAL

Americans Must Know What Macron Has Done

Jan. 9 (EIRNS)—French President Emmanuel Macron, in his speech in Xian on the first leg of his visit to China, has unleashed a highly significant intervention into the nearly universal idiocy dominating the European Union. To make a transformation of this sort requires, first, the acknowledgment of the horror now dominating the political and economic conditions in the West, and the degenerate frame of mind of the elites, the media and much of the population in Europe and the United States. Secondly, it requires acknowledgment of the historic New Paradigm unleashed by China’s New Silk Road. Third, it requires the vision to see that bringing Europe and the United States to fully join with China’s Belt and Road Initiative, as nearly the entire rest of the world has done, provides the necessary basis for creating the new world order based on peace and development.

And Macron has taken a major step to accomplish these three measures—although you certainly would not know it reading the Western press.

On the first, Macron noted that China “has managed to lift 700 million people out of poverty in recent decades. This is true for France too, where we are confronted with mass unemployment, with the imperative needed to give future prospects to a whole part of our population, but it is a challenge of the world that lives today in a crisis of globalized capitalism, which has, in recent decades, exploded social inequalities and the concentration of wealth.”

On the strategic side, Macron said the West must overcome the “unilateral imperialism” conducted by France and other European powers in Africa and elsewhere, adding: “we must draw the lessons of the past. Every time we tried to impose the ‘truth’ or the ‘law’ against the people themselves, we were wrong, and sometimes we have produced even worse situation. As in in Iraq, or Libya today. We need to work together to develop the respect of sovereignty of the people.”

He spoke directly against the geopolitical paradigm dominating Western thought: “There should be neither a disguised supremacy, nor a conflict between competing supremacies. All our art, if I may use that word, will not be the art of war, but an art of cooperation balanced in order to ensure on the geostrategic, political and economic level, the harmony our world needs.”

He referred to the West as a “tired, post-modern world, where the great epics were forbidden.”

And most importantly, Macron identified the New Silk Road as the connection required between all peoples to achieve this new world order. “I think that the initiative of the New Silk Roads,” he said, “can meet our interests, those of France and of Europe, if we give ourselves the means to really work together…. It is up to Europe and Asia, up to France and China, to define and propose together the rules of a game in which we will all win, or we will all lose. I have come thus to tell China my determination to have the Euro-Chinese partnership enter into the 21st century with this new grammar we must all define together.”

He praised China its work in Africa, where “China has invested heavily in recent years, on infrastructure, raw materials, with a financial force that European countries do not have.” He called for French-Chinese cooperation in Africa, to “carry out projects that are really useful for the growth of the continent, financially sustainable—because the future is there, because we must not reproduce the mistakes of the past of creating political and financial dependence, under the pretext of development.”

Most of the Western press, if they cover the visit at all, foolishly portrays it as “anti-Trump,” or a lecture to China to open its markets. This again demonstrates that Western leaders and their media spokespersons are unwilling, or unable, to part with their geopolitical glasses, their zero-sum, Darwinian mentality.

Helga Zepp-LaRouche, reflecting on Macron’s extraordinary visit, noted that those nations which fail to join in the New Silk Road will be left behind in history. Yet the winds of historical change are blowing in the direction of this New Paradigm. President Trump has embraced China’s crucial role in history and for the future; Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has pledged to co-finance projects with China along the New Silk Road; and now France is breaking from the resistance to the New Silk Road coming from the EU, and from Germany in particular.

As you will see below, LaRouche PAC has released a national statement: LAROUCHE PAC’S 2018 ELECTION INTERVENTION—THE CAMPAIGN TO WIN THE FUTURE, which will be presented to institutions across the country, to unite constituent organizations behind the LaRouche Four Laws as a basis for reviving the U.S. economy and joining in the New Silk Road process for global development.

U.S. POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC

LaRouche PAC’s 2018 Election Intervention—The Campaign To Win the Future

Jan. 9 (EIRNS)—LaRouche PAC released the following statement today for mass distribution:

Our future will be determined by the elections of 2018. Neither major party has a program to fundamentally advance the nation, let alone ensure even our short-term survival. LaRouche PAC advances the following platform, and we are announcing that we will undertake an independent expenditure campaign to make it happen. We will campaign on this program, endorsing or opposing candidates based on whether they will campaign for these ideas. We seek to create large blocs of voters in critical Congressional Districts to join us.

Both parties are controlled by Wall Street. Both parties adhere to the post-World War II imperial system for relations between nations, a system which has produced perpetual war and genocide, and now, a dangerous new Cold War. The Democrats intend to use these elections to impeach the President. The Republicans, while nominally supporting the President, fanatically adhere to economic axioms which will destroy his Presidency.

Our program has two flanks. End the coup against the President and prosecute those responsible. Implement LaRouche’s Four Laws for Economic Recovery of the United States and join the United States to China’s great Belt and Road Initiative for economic development.

This will create millions of productive jobs here and internationally, while also causing a most fundamental and necessary change in strategic relations. Under the LaRouche program, nations will collaborate on great projects advancing the common aims of mankind, rather than facing off as geopolitical opponents in hybrid wars where humanity itself constantly teeters on the edge of thermonuclear extinction.

Here are LaRouche’s Four Laws. They are not separate planks. Each and every one of these laws must be conceptualized and implemented together.

(1) Re-instate Franklin Roosevelt’s Glass-Steagall Act, and do it now, prior to the imminent collapse of the financial bubble Wall Street built in the wake of 2008.

(2) Return to a system of top-down national banking, creating the credit necessary to put our infrastructure on a completely modern platform. The models for such a program already exist in the form of Hamilton’s National Bank of the United States, Lincoln’s Greenback system, and Franklin Roosevelt’s Reconstruction Finance Corporation.

(3) Use the federal credit-system to generate high-productivity trends in improvements of employment, with the accompanying intention, to increase the physical-economic productivity, and the standard of living of the persons and households of the United States. Any economic proposal must advance this principle. Progress depends upon building a modern national infrastructure and cultural platform conducive to fostering human creativity.

(4) Create a fusion energy economy and re-dedicate the nation to space exploration. Fusion represents a qualitative leap in the potential productive power of the population and will be the source of power for ready exploration of space. Fundamental scientific advancements are the keystone of all economic progress.

The intention of these laws, taken together, is to create a critically necessary new human renaissance.

Russia-Phobe Ed Royce Is Quitting the Congress

Jan. 9 (EIRNS)—Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA) announced Monday he would not seek re-election this year. He said he would spend the rest of this year fighting “Russian threats.”

This makes seven Republican House Committee Chairmen (Royce heads the Foreign Affairs Committee) who have announced they are not running for re-election. The others are: Gregg Harper (MS) chairman of the House Administration Committee; Bill Shuster (PA), chairman of the House Transportation Committee; Bob Goodlatte (VA), chairman of the Judiciary Committee; Jeb Hensarling (TX), chairman of the Financial Services Committee; and Lamar Smith (TX), chairman of the Committee on Science, Space and Technology. House Budget Chair Diane Black (TN) is also leaving to run for governor.

THE NEW GLOBAL ECONOMIC ORDER

Macron in China: Europe Must Work with China’s Silk Road

PARIS, Jan. 9 (EIRNS)—French President Emmanuel Macron chose to start his three-day official visit in Xian, very symbolically as he always does, because Xian is the city from which the Silk Roads begin to head for the West. After visiting the famous terra cotta armies buried in the tomb of Emperor Qin (third century B.C.), he gave a very powerful hour and a quarter speech at the Daminggong Palace to those accompanying him, including the Vice-President of China and other dignitaries, and the full French delegation of 100.

In a very poetic but precise manner, President Macron defined his views of the contours, the rules and the content of a French-Chinese cooperation in the New Silk Road project, but also for a European-Chinese cooperation with the New Silk Road project, since he made of himself the interlocutor for Europe in this respect.

The key phrases which indicate a positive orientation and change are: Macron’s rejection of the war paradigm and for a win-win world explicitly, his mea culpa for the West on Iraq and Libya; on Africa, his mea culpa on French imperialism; on the Chinese Silk Road, his praising of the Chinese for having contributed a “new epic narrative” for the “fatigued” Western world to envisage a new dream.

General De Gaulle, looking at those who had joined him in London following the occupation of France, the General had this phrase: “I was expecting the cathedrals [i.e. the Catholics], and I got the synagogues [i.e. the Jews]! We could also say today: We were expecting the European sovereignists to join the New Silk Road, and we got Europeanists of opportunity!” Clearly opposing a geopolitical view, Macron made himself the voice of a Europe seeking with China to find a way to get the world back to a win-win multilateralism, criticizing implicitly the “unilateralism” of the U.S. (Jerusalem) and Russia (Ukraine). Note, however, that for Macron, the EU and the euro are not a dogma. During the Presidential campaign he declared that if his European bid did not work, he would skip it.

The other element which is omnipresent in his intervention is the fight against climate change and for a world respecting the environment. This does not in any way go against investments in infrastructure, industries and technologies, however. Both the Chinese, who have gone into a full mobilization against air, soil and water pollution, and Macron, are pro-nuclear. This is more to pay lip service to the Weltgeist, and not a Malthusian greenie ideology per se.

Clearly, if France and Europe go fully into the New Silk Road perspectives they will rapidly be brought to a contradiction: The need for financial reform, and the reestablishment of national banks in order to emit national credit, for investments in infrastructure, industries, new technologies.

Major Kra Canal Conference To Take Place on Feb. 1

Jan. 9 (EIRNS)—A major Kra Canal Conference has been announced for Feb. 1, featuring Gen. Pongthep Thesprateep, Chairman of Thai Canal Association, and Pakdee Tanapura, Board Member and International Director of Thai Canal Association. Pakdee Tanapura was the primary organizer of the Kra Canal Conference co-sponsored by the Fusion Energy Foundation and featuring Lyndon LaRouche in 1984 in Bangkok.

The Feb. 1 Conference in Phuket, Thailand, is co-sponsored by the British Chamber of Commerce in Thailand, the Franco-Thai Chamber of Commerce, the Australian-Thai Chamber of Commerce, the German-Thai Chamber of Commerce, the American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand, the Netherlands-Thai Chamber of Commerce and the European Association for Business and Commerce in Thailand.

The Phuket News, which is also sponsoring the conference, in announcing the conference, writes:

“Will Thailand make it this time? Many Thais hope that the gigantic investment of $55 billion (about B1.77 trillion baht) to begin with would help jump start Thailand’s economy. It would also create a ripple effect throughout the ASEAN countries, which would benefit from such an ambitious development. In addition, the Kra Canal would also offer a solution to the congested Strait of Malacca, the busiest sea lane in the world. It is estimated that once the canal is constructed, it would generate free flow of trade and development between the Indian and Pacific Oceans, with India and China already projected to be the two giants of growth for the 21st century.

“According to the latest poll conducted by the Prince of Songkhla University, an estimated 74% of residents throughout the 14 provinces of Southern Thailand have already agreed with the construction of the canal.

“Will the Thai government agree to the suggestion? Can Thailand wait any longer? Will Thailand change?”

First North-South Korea Meeting a Success

Jan. 9 (EIRNS)—North and South Korea held their first diplomatic meeting in more than two years, earlier today, and by all accounts, it was a spectacular success. North Korea offered to send a large delegation of athletes, officials and others to the upcoming Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea proposed reunions of families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War, and North Korea re-opened the military-to-military hotline that had been closed since 2016.

“I came to this meeting with a thought to hand a ‘precious result’ to our fellow, who holds a great expectation,” Ri Son-gwon, the chairman of the North Korean Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Country and leader of the North Korean delegation, said at the start of the meeting, reports the Korea Herald. Ri also said the rare meeting was arranged upon “the divine will,” on the back of “the hearts of the Korean people” combined with the “current situation.” For his part, South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon said that South Korean citizens want to reel Inter-Korean relations toward reconciliation and peace. Cho also underlined Seoul’s wish for North Korea’s participation at the PyeongChang Olympics and Paralympics next month.

With respect to the Olympics, South Korean Vice Unification Minister Chun Hae-sung told reporters afterwards that South Korea proposed the two sides march together during the opening and closing ceremonies at the Olympics and form a joint cheering team.

On other matters, the South further offered to hold a Red Cross meeting to discuss the reunion of families separated by the Korean War and proposed holding military talks to prevent accidental conflict along the border. “We also raised the need to end acts that could escalate tensions on the Korean Peninsula and to resume dialogue to bring peace to the Korean Peninsula, such as (North Korea’s) denuclearization,” Chun said. “North Korea proposed resolving issues regarding inter-Korean ties through dialogue and negotiations for peace and unity on the peninsula,” Chun said. “North Korea has guaranteed peace on the Korean Peninsula, talked about promoting reconciliation among the Korean people, and solving issues surrounding the South and the North through dialogue and negotiations,” Chun said. The North apparently didn’t respond directly on denuclearization but seemed attentive toward South Korea’s remarks, said Chun.

Seoul has also proposed talks between representatives of the two countries’ armed forces. According to a spokesman for the Unification Ministry, during the talks in Panmunjom, South Korea suggested arranging talks between representatives of the two countries’ military command in the near future. This step should help ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula, he said without providing any details about response from Pyongyang.

Beijing Diplomat Tells Panama’s Neighbors, ‘Follow Their Example’ and Establish Ties with China

Jan. 9 (EIRNS)—Panama’s neighbors are witnessing the rapid consolidation of bilateral relations between Panama and China—and the economic benefits deriving from this—following Panama’s June 2017 establishment of diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China (P.R.C.).

For example, in early December, with Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela present, China’s Commerce Minister Zhong Shan and Panamanian Commerce and Industry Minister Augusto Arosemena signed the agreement by which China will finance the pre-feasibility study for construction of a high-speed cargo and passenger rail line from Panama City to the municipality of David in Chiriqui province, on the border with Costa Rica—the only other Central American nation that recognizes the P.R.C. Panama sees this project as a key part of the Belt and Road Initiative, and Zhong emphasized the great potential for infrastructure development, in both Panama and the region.

The rest of Central America, in addition to Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and St. Lucia in the Caribbean, still maintain diplomatic ties with Taiwan. But China has delivered an explicit message to those who might be contemplating following Panama’s lead.

In an Aug. 6, 2017 interview in La Estrella de Panama published under the headline “Central America Should Recognize One China,” Wang Weihua, the Chargé d’Affaires at China’s Panama Embassy, who was deeply involved in secret negotiations leading up to the establishment of diplomatic relations in June, noted that previously, the lack of diplomatic ties had stymied Chinese investment in Panama, because there were no guarantees or legal framework to protect them. But now, he said, “the situation is totally different because this new diplomatic relationship and the series of treaties and agreements signed by the two nations are attracting investors to Panama.”

According to Wikipedia, Wang made clear that “China intends to replicate the Panama example in other countries in the region” that still maintain ties with Taiwan, extending the offer of “juicy” investments. “Panama has set a great example for the rest of [Central American] countries and Caribbean islands,” he underscored, and were others to follow that example, the benefits would be enormous. For example, he noted, the 450 km high-speed rail line planned for Panama could be expanded to Mesoamerica—“Middle America,” the region extending from Northern Mexico down through Central America—“as part of China’s One Belt, One Road (or Silk Road) project.”

China Offers High-Speed Rail to Chile

Jan. 9 (EIRNS)—China’s TVS consortium, including Railways Group Limited (CREC) and the Chilean firm Sigdo Koppers, has offered Chilean President Michelle Bachelet a proposal to build a high-speed rail line from the capital Santiago to the coastal port of Valparaiso, the country’s most important port for Sino-Chilean trade. With the new rail line, travel time to the port would be halved, to 45 minutes, and could play a key role in accelerating merchandise export, as well as “strengthen [China’s] role as [Chile’s] main trading partner,” Xinhua reported Jan. 6.

According to the head of TVS, Alvaro Gonzalez, this will be a pioneering project, the first of its kind in South America.

President Bachelet will be leaving office on March 11, and it is unlikely that the project can be concretized before that. She has made Chile’s partnership with China, and participation in the Belt and Road Initiative, a cornerstone of her foreign policy. Her successor, Wall Street darling Sebastian Pinera, has vowed to continue strong relations with China, but how he does that remains to be seen.

Recently, the Foreign Ministry’s General Directorate of International Economic Relations (DIRECON), issued a statement saying that bilateral relations between the two nations are the best they’ve ever been. On Jan. 23, Santiago will be the site of the China-Celac Business Forum—Celac is the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States—organized by DIRECON, the government’s Pro-Chile trade promotion office, and the Chinese Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT).

SCIENCE AND INFRASTRUCTURE

ESA Wants To Be a Partner in China’s Space Station

Jan. 9 (EIRNS)—Karl Bergquist, head of European Space Agency’s desk for relations with China, has recently visited China several times to discuss cooperation projects in space. In the wake of the two ESA astronauts’ Samantha Cristoforetti (Italy) and Matthias Maurer (Germany) intense training period for several weeks at the Chinese space center last year, Bergquist said that ESA welcomes China’s plan to operate a space station of its own, and that the Europeans want to contribute to that. Since ESA has 3,000 man-days of experience in orbital space, it offers that experience to China, so that the first years of mistakes made by the Europeans on the ISS can be avoided, and the Chinese station be more efficient from the start.

ESA still regrets that Chinese taikonauts cannot work on the ISS because of U.S. resistance, because the ISS is much larger than China’s Tiangong station at the start of its operation, but that everything will be done by the Europeans to make the latter a success.

It should be noted that French President Emmanuel Macron will also visit the Chinese space center, during his Jan. 8-10 visit to China.

The Rwanda Space Project Will Operate Its First Satellite

Jan. 9 (EIRNS)—Rwanda will have its first communications satellite, built by Japan, launched in 2020. “That is our goal. We have already launched the first activities in this direction with the sending of the first four students for training in Japan. Others will leave as part of the African Business Education Initiative for Youth,” said Robert Ford, executive vice president of the ICT Chamber of Rwanda.

“Among other things, it will enable it to connect rural and remote areas of the country, to improve observation of the national territory, weather control, and military communications,” Ford said. Having a satellite that it owns allows the country to avoid paying foreign vendors for telecommunications services, and, more importantly, initiates education and training programs in space technology. To carry out the program, the government is creating the Rwanda Space Project with Japan.

Last month, Angola’s first satellite was launched by Russia. Increasingly, African countries are moving toward owning a satellite, and training an engineering cadre to operate it, and a technical staff that can turn raw data into information to further economic development.

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