Mandag, 1. januar, 2018 – Nedenfor følger en engelsk oversættelse fra Sputnik (oversat til dansk) af den russiske præsident Vladimir Putins nytårstale til det russiske folk, som han holdt nogle få minutter før midnat i hele Ruslands 11 timers zone (med 9 forskellige tider).

Præsident Putin hilser især dem, der er på vagt »på dette højtidelige tidspunkt« og nævner soldater, piloter eller hospitalspersonale, og han opfordrer Ruslands befolkning til at tilgive fejltagelser og ikke bære nag.

Kære venner!

Det nye år, 2018, er over os. Og når vi fejrer denne højtidsdag hvert år, så ser vi hver gang på det som noget originalt, mildt og ønskværdigt; vi tror på, at alt det, vi ønsker os i løbet af disse minutter, vil gå i opfyldelse.

Nytårsaften er først og fremmest en familiehøjtidelighed for os. Vi fejrer den, ligesom vi gjorde, da vi var børn; med gaver og overraskelser, med særlig varme, med forventninger om vigtige forandringer. Og de vil indtræde i vort liv, hvis vi hver især husker vore forældre og kerer os om dem og værdsætter hvert minut, vi har tilbragt sammen med dem; hvis vi lærer at forstå vore børn bedre, deres drømme og forhåbninger; hvis vi støtter vore allernærmeste, dem, der har brug for vores engagement og inderlige gavmildhed.

Evnen til at hjælpe, til at være betænksom og gøre godt, fylder livet med sandt, menneskeligt formål. Hvor som helst, vi befinder os: ved bordet sammen med vores familie, i festligt lag eller med at feste i byen, så er vi alle forenet i vores lystige nytårsstemning, og moderne teknologi gør det muligt for os at dele vore følelser med dem, der står os nær, som måske befinder sig hundreder eller tusinder af kilometer borte.

Og som altid, lad mig sende mine særlige hilsener til alle dem, der i øjeblikket er på arbejde; folk, der opfylder deres professionelle eller militære pligt, er på vagt på hospitaler, eller med at styre tog og flyvemaskiner. Vi er alle samlet i denne nytårsnat, og vi er ligeledes sammen i vore daglige gøremål. Vores solidaritet, venskab og ubetingede kærlighed til Rusland mangedobler vores styrke og giver os kraft til at udføre værdige gerninger og store præstationer.

Jeg vil gerne udtrykke mine inderlige lykønskninger til jer alle, for jeres tro på jer selv og på vort land, for jeres arbejde og dets frugter. Må tillid og gensidig forståelse altid være vores følgesvend.

Kære venner! Året 2018 er blot få sekunder væk.

Tiden er inde til at udtale de mest dyrebare ord til hinanden, til at tilgive fejltagelser og nag, til at omfavne, til at bedyre ens kærlighed, til at give varme, omsorg og opmærksomhed.

Måtte alle mennesker og alle familier opleve en forandring til det bedre i det nye år, og måtte nyfødte børn bringe os glæde. Jeg sender jer mine inderlige ønsker om succes og velbefindende. Fred og velstand til vort store Rusland, elsket og unikt.

Vær glade! Godt Nytår

Foto: Ruslands præsident Vladimir Putin holder sin nytårshilsen til det russiske folk, 31. dec., 2017.

Mandag, 1. januar, 2018 – Med protester, der fortsætter i Iran nu på fjerde dag, mindre end dem i 2009 og med nogle, der involverer bevæbnede demonstranter, bliver anbefalinger fra folk, der er eksperter i regionens forhold, ikke ænset af Trump-administrationen. Senest har USA’s FN-ambassadør Nicki Haley ønsket regimeskifte med sin udtalelse den 31. dec., »Vi beder for, at frihed og menneskerettigheder vil sejre«.

Udbruddet af protester fulgte blot to uger efter USA’s og Israels vedtagelse af en handleplan imod Iran – med Saudi-Arabien, der sandsynligvis også er en tavs part i denne plan – og som efter sigende skal omfatte hemmelige handlinger. Protesterne begyndte 29. dec. i den sydøstlige by Mashhad, der regeres af benhårde konservative gejstlige, der er modstandere af Rouhani-regeringen og endda Ayatollah Khamenei som værende for reformvenlige. I denne henseende har det visse ligheder med begyndelsen af de syriske protester i Dara’a i 2011. De iranske protester har siden spredt sig til primært storbyer og byer langs Irans vestlige grænse til Irak.

Journalist for avisen The Guardian, Simon Tisdall, advarer i en »pas på, hvad du ønsker dig«-artikel om en farlig optrapning af regionale spændinger. Trita Parsi rapporterer i en CNN-kronik, at lederne af den »Grønne bevægelse« fra 2009, som stadig er i Iran, ikke støtter disse protester, der foreløbig er langt mindre. Han bemærker, at Mashhad er domineret af gejstlige, der følger en hård linje, og som søger at udnytte befolkningens legitime økonomiske vanskeligheder til at score points mod Rouhani-regeringen, men som har mistet kontrollen over dem pga. økonomiske vanskeligheder. Rouhani selv har erkendt disse vanskeligheder og opfordrede til fredelige protester over dem. Parsi skriver, »Husk, at Rouhani blev genvalgt med 57 % af stemmerne (med en stemmedeltagelse på 70 %) for blot syv måneder siden. Det betyder, at kernen i demonstranterne sandsynligvis tilhører en anden gruppe«.

I en tale til nationen sagde Rouhani, »Folk har absolut frihed til at kritisere regeringen og protestere, men deres protester bør foregå på en sådan måde, at de forbedrer situationen i landet og i deres liv. Kritik er noget andet en vold og beskadigelse af offentlig ejendom … Regeringen og folket bør hjælpe hinanden med at løse spørgsmålene«.

I den sydlige by Izeh er mange af demonstranterne bevæbnede, og flere er blevet dræbt, af hvem, vides ikke. Mobile-phone-appen Telegram, skabt af den russiske Pavel Durov, er blevet lukket ned af Durov på anmodning fra Iran, fordi iranske agitatorer i eksil brugte den til at agitere for vold. Durov sagde, »En Telegram-kanal (Amadnews) begyndte at instruere sine abonnenter i brugen af Molotovcocktails mod politiet og blev suspenderet pga. vores ’ingen opfordring til vold’-regel. Pas på – disse linjer bør ikke overskrides«.

Foto: Anti-regeringsdemonstrationer fortsætter på fjerde dag, udløst af økonomiske vanskeligheder. Dødstallet er foreløbig oppe på 13.

31. dec., 2017 – Schiller Instituttets stifter og præsident Helga Zepp-LaRouche optog følgende Nytårsbudskab til LaRouche PAC Action Committee (LPAC):

Kære borgere i verden,

Lad mig først ønske jer et Godt og Fredeligt Nytår 2018. Som det vigtigste mål for 2018 ønsker jeg at definere overvindelse af geopolitik. Geopolitik har været årsag til to verdenskrige i det 20. århundrede, og det turde stå enhver klart, at, i atomvåbenalderen, kan krig ikke længere være et middel til konfliktløsning. Geopolitik er ligeledes baseret på den forældede koldkrigstankegang og tankegangen med nulsumsspil, altså den idé, at, hvis ét land vinder, må de andre tabe. Det er den fejlagtige idé om, at det er legitimt at forfølge en nations eller gruppe af nationers interesse, på bekostning af andres interesse.

Heldigvis har Kina sat det nye koncept for udenrigsrelationer, for relationer mellem nationer, et win-win-samarbejde til alles fordel, på dagsordenen. Reaktionen på dette har været blandet: Kina har tilbudt USA, og ligeledes de europæiske lande, at samarbejde. Nogle har reageret med entusiasme, fordi de ser fordelene ved samarbejde inden for infrastrukturområdet og andre områder. For eksempel har Central- og Sydeuropa reageret meget positivt; mange udviklingslande er med om bord. Alt i alt er flere end 70 lande allerede en del af dette nye paradigme.

Men andre har reageret med et hysteri, der netop nu tager til, fordi de ser Kinas fremkomst, og de ved, at dette er en mere succesfuld model, som er mere attraktiv for mange lande i verden. De hævder, at den kinesiske model er en trussel mod deres demokratier.

Men måske gør kineserne noget mere korrekt, end disse vestlige demokratier. Kina har trods alt bevæget 700 mio. mennesker ud af fattigdom, og de har erklæret, at de ligeledes ønsker at bringe de resterende 42 mio. mennesker ud af fattigdom frem til år 2020. Kina har endda aflagt løfte om at fjerne fattigdom på verdensplan frem til år 2050.

Dette ville selvsagt betyde, at Europa må overvinde fattigdom for 90 mio. borgere, der lever i denne tilstand, og USA har henved 42 mio.: Dette er absolut muligt, hvis de samarbejder med den Nye Silkevej.

En af de største, geopolitiske udfordringer, der skal overvindes, er udfaldet af den kamp, der finder sted i USA, hvor man netop nu har høringer i Kongressen, hvor det utrolige, aftalte spil, der har fundet sted mellem Obama-administrationen, Hillary Clintons valgkampagne, det Demokratiske lederskab, cheferne for efterretningstjenesterne, og så britisk efterretning helt klart har forsøgt at stjæle valgsejren fra Trump i 2016, og, hvis alt dette kommer frem, og Trump lykkes med sine bestræbelser for at genetablere en anstændig relation med Rusland og Kina, hvilket var den første årsag til Russiagate; så kan en ny æra for civilisationen virkelig begynde.

Samarbejdet mellem alle nationer i den Nye Silkevej er ligeledes den eneste måde, hvorpå vi kan forhindre, at finanssystemet krakker i 2018; hvilket, hvis det skete, ville blive meget værre end i 2008. Dette ville kræve, at vi gør en ende på kasinoøkonomien i Vesten, vedtager en Glass/Steagall-bankopdeling, etablerer et kreditsystem og dernæst samarbejder med banker som AIIB, den Nye Silkevejsfond og andre banker, for at genopbygge realøkonomien.

Dette er ikke alene vigtigt for USA og Europa, men er i særdeleshed vigtigt, hvis vi ønsker at genopbygge Mellemøsten efter mange års forfærdelige krige, som var resultatet af interventionskrige, regimeskifte og ’farvede revolutioner’; så må vi samarbejde med Kina omkring den Nye Silkevej, for at forlænge dette koncept ind i Mellemøsten.

Den eneste måde, hvorpå vi kan løse flygtningekrisen på en human måde, på en menneskelig måde, er at samarbejde med Kina omkring den økonomiske udvikling af hele Afrika. Hvis vi gør dette i det kommende år, har vi mulighed for utrolige gennembrud for verdensfreden, men også inden for området af videnskab og teknologi, hvor, f.eks., reelle gennembrud mht. at opnå termonuklear fusionskraft skues i horisonten. Hvis vi lykkes med dette, kan vi få sikkerhed for energiforsyning og for forsyning af råmaterialer.

Hvis vi kombinerer alt dette med en dialog mellem kulturer, hvor hver nation repræsenterer sine bedste traditioner, så andre kan lære dem at kende, er jeg fuldstændig overbevist om, at dette vil resultere i en større kærlighed til menneskeheden.

Så der er al mulig grund til optimisme for de kommende år, for der findes løsninger. Lad os simpelt hen gennemføre dem på en beslutsom måde.

Godt Nytår.

Kan vi i tide, før et nyt finanskrak kommer ned over os – det hænger jo over vores hoved som et Damoklessværd – kan vi i tide skabe denne form for forandring i USA i særdeleshed, men også i Vesteuropa, hvor vi tilslutter os dette nye paradigme, eller vil denne kamp for civilisationen blive tabt? Jeg er meget optimistisk mht., at den kan vindes, men det kræver aktivitet: Vi oplever ikke dialektisk materialisme, eller historisk materialisme, hvor positive begivenheder får deres eget liv; for, det er altid den subjektive faktor, der spiller en meget stor rolle, og et sted, hvor dette ses meget tydeligt, er med Xi Jinping, der virkelig har frembragt en positiv kinesisk udvikling, en total opgradering og en total transformation ind i et nyt paradigme. Og vi har brug for sådanne mennesker i Vesten til at gøre ligeså.

Schiller Instituttet har absolut indgået en forpligtelse til at gøre alt, hvad der står i vores magt, for at få USA og Europa til at samarbejde med den Nye Silkevej, for det vil blive den afgørende kamp i det nye år.

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Vært Matthew Ogden: God aften, det er den 29. december; jeg er Matthew Ogden, og dette er årets sidste internationale fredags-webcast fra larouchepac.com.

Som vi nærmer os afslutningen af året 2017, er vi nødsaget til at se tilbage på året, som det udfoldede sig dag for dag, i de seneste 365 dage. Men vi er også nødt til at se fremad, til året 2018, og til forpligtelser og muligheder, som dette år vil bringe os.

Det forgange år, 2017, har selvfølgelig været et af de år, der har budt på flest forandringer i de fleste menneskers levetid. Vi erindrer, at året startede med først, valget, og dernæst indsættelsen af en ny præsident, præsident Donald Trump, og det var helt klart en af de største, politiske rystelser i moderne politisk historie, med valgnederlaget til Hillary Clinton, hvem alle antog for den sikre vinderkandidat til at blive USA’s præsident, og med valgsejren til den nuværende præsident Donald Trump. Men, som hr. LaRouche korrekt sagde på det tidspunkt, så ville det være en fejltagelse at anskue betydningen af dette valg ud fra et rent nationalt standpunkt. Det ville være en fejltagelse at anskue betydningen af denne valgrystelse inden for rammerne af national politik, men det sande perspektiv, man må have, både for årsagerne og også for den følgelige betydning af dette dramatiske, politiske skifte i USA, må snarere være et globalt perspektiv og et perspektiv for en global transformation, der fandt sted på mange, mange måder.

På den ene side har vi afslutningen af en æra, afslutningen af den transatlantiske æra med finansspekulation og med at bringe USA som en del af denne sektor i verden til et punkt for desperation, økonomisk, socialt og på anden vis, her i USA, og som frembragte denne dramatiske, politiske sejr og dette dramatiske, politiske nederlag til Hillary Clinton og det, hun stod for. Og ligeledes den angst, som amerikanerne følte, over, at verden kom nærmere og nærmere til randen af Tredje Verdenskrig, til en konfrontation mellem USA og Rusland, en konfrontation mellem USA og Kina.

Men man må også se den potentielle betydning af denne dramatiske, politiske begivenhed her i USA, ud fra et standpunkt om de muligheder, der er udløst på verdensscenen. Og disse muligheder var, og er fortsat, potentialet for et samarbejde mellem USA og Rusland og USA og Kina, som en relation mellem stormagter for at afslutte æraen med koldkrigs-geopolitik og frembringe et nyt stadie for samarbejde mellem disse store magter i verden, for et nyt paradigme for relationer mellem disse lande, og som ville udløse et hidtil uset potentiale for samarbejde, fredelig, gensidig fordel og »win-win«-samarbejde.

Det er en udfordring for amerikanere at se længere end det daglige melodrama i amerikansk politik og 24-timers nyhedsudsendelser og se, hvad der virkelig har udfoldet sig på verdensscenen i løbet af året 2017. Men, hvis vi ser længere, og vi tager et globalt perspektiv, ser vi, at året 2017 virkelig havde sin historiske betydning med den kendsgerning, at dette er året, hvor hele verden begyndte at blive transformeret af den dynamik, der nu er associeret til den Nye Silkevej, eller Ét Bælte, én Vej-initiativet, som fejer hen over verden fra Kina. Det har haft en transformerende virkning for hele planeten: Hvert eneste kontinent er blevet transformeret, og alle nationer er blevet berørt af Silkevejsånden, inklusive, på signifikant vis, USA. Som vi senere skal tale om, så er Vest Virginia et meget, meget godt eksempel.

Men det, vi har set, er en stor bølge af optimisme, der er blevet udløst. Det er det, der kaldes »Silkevejsånden«, og vi ser, at meget af denne transformation allerede er i gang; men der er selvfølgelig meget tilbage at virkeliggøre.

I dag er tilfældigvis hr. og fr. Lyndon og Helga LaRouches 40 års bryllupsdag, og det er en meget passende dag til at reflektere over den ekstraordinært positive virkning, som disse 40 års frugtbart samarbejde og helligelse til det gode har haft på verden, gennem disse to, ekstraordinært verdenshistoriske personer: både Lyndon og Helga LaRouche. Dette forgangne år 2017 har på en meget virkelig måde været en meget stor modning af disse 40 års utrættelige arbejde på begges vegne, og ligeledes på vegne af dem i bevægelsen, der er blevet inspireret af dem.

I det kommende år må vi sætte os for, og træffe vore nytårsforsætter om at se konsolideringen af denne vision. Alt det, der nu er blevet virkelighed, mht. potentiale i året 2017, nu må konsolideres og krystalliseres i året 2018. Som Helga Zepp-LaRouche har karakteriseret det: 2018 må være afslutningen af geopolitik og lanceringen af et nyt paradigme for den menneskelige race, baseret på win-win-samarbejde mellem alle folkeslag og blomstringen af en renæssance, bestående af det bedste i alle kulturer, civilisationer bragt i dialog med hinanden, og som drager fordel af det bedste af det, alle nationer har at tilbyde det almene vel for menneskeracen som helhed.

Det kunne være nyttigt at tage et snapshot af et par af de mest afgørende vendepunkter i året 2017 for at beslutte den transformerende virkning, der har fundet sted i løbet af dette år. Hvis vi ligesom tager et forskudt tidsbillede af året 2017, selv om alle udviklingerne, der har fundet sted, kan have syntes at være næsten for meget og for dramatisk til at holde trit med; hvis vi ser tilbage, ser vi, på hvor absolut dramatisk vis, verden er blevet forandret af denne Silkevejsånd i dette år, 2017.

Vi begyndte året her på LaRouche PAC med en appel, der blev cirkuleret bredt og faktisk havde en ret intens virkning, og som krævede, at præsident Trump, med sin indtræden i embedet, tog alle sine kampagneløfter og hele sin diskussion om at genopbygge USA’s industri, genopbygge USA’s varefremstilling, genopbygge USA’s infrastruktur alvorligt, men også at tage en ny holdning over for verden og en samarbejdende relation med Rusland og endda med Kina; og denne appel krævede, at præsident Donald Trump rakte en hånd tilbage mod Kina. Det, som Obama havde afvist mht. et samarbejde, et samarbejdende partnerskab med det, Kina havde påbegyndt, Asiatisk Infrastruktur-Investeringsbank, den Nye Silkevej, Bælte & Vej Initiativet, og så i stedet række en ånd frem til Kina for samarbejde og blive en del af dette.

Det har endnu ikke helt båret frugt, og det er opgaven for året 2018, men vi er kommet meget, meget langt.

Lad og se på et par af de meget vigtige vendepunkter i løbet af det forgangne år:

I april – 6. og 7. april, for at være helt nøjagtig – blev præsident Xi Jinping af præsident Trump budt velkommen i USA til et meget vigtigt statsbesøg, der fandt sted på præsident Trumps Mar-a-Lago ferieresort i Florida. Vi har set billederne og videoerne af deres diskussioner og deres moddage i løbet af disse to dage på Mar-a-Lago. Det var under dette topmøde, dette præsident Xi Jinpings statsbesøg, at præsident Trump og præsident Xi begyndte at skabe det, der nu er blevet til en meget nær, personlig relation.

Dette var en meget dramatisk vending af præcis det, præsident Obama gjorde mht. en politik for militær konfrontation, en politik for at omringe Kina og en politik for at forsøge at ophede konflikten over det Sydkinesiske Hav og andre ting, mht. at anbringe USA i en konfronterende holdning over for Kina.

På trods af sit meget krigerske sprog under valgkampen, tiltrådte præsident Trump embedet og besluttede at vende denne Obamas politik og i stedet skabe en, i det mindste på det personlige plan, varm og nær personlig relation mellem ham selv og præsident Xi Jinping. Det begyndte på Mar-a-Lago-topmødet den 6. og 7. april i år.

Den følgende måned, den 9. maj, begyndte LaRouche PAC en meget koncentreret kampagne og en slags nedtælling til det, der tydeligvis skulle blive et meget afgørende topmøde, der skulle finde sted i Kina. Dette var Bælte & Vej Forum for Internationalt Samarbejde, der skulle finde sted 14.-15. maj. Så i begyndelsen af maj indledte LaRouche PAC en to uger lang nedtælling og lagde ekstraordinært pres på præsident Trump for at acceptere præsident Xi Jinpings invitation til personligt at deltage som USA’s repræsentant på Bælte & Vej Forum i Kina. Som en del af denne kampagne udgav vi en video, en meget kort men meget fyndig video, med Jason Ross som fortæller, ved navn »Bælte & Vej Initiativet: Vort århundredes afgørende projekt«. https://larouchepac.com/20170509/belt-and-road-initiative-defining-project-our-century

Denne video blev meget hurtigt cirkuleret bredt og er nu blevet set af 50.000 mennesker; den udlagte video har 50.000 visninger.

Jeg vil gerne tage jer tilbage til dette historiske øjeblik og afspille et kort klip af denne videofortælling af Jason Ross for jer. Den hedder altså »Bælte & Vej Initiativet: Vort århundredes afgørende projekt«.

Her følger resten af udskriftet på engelsk:

[Begin Video]
JASON ROSS:  It would be the biggest mistake ever, if the
U.S. didn’t take advantage of the Belt and Road Forum that’s
taking place in a week in Beijing, China —  the biggest mistake
ever.  This event is going to bring together representatives of
over 100 nations on this planet, including the direct
participation of almost 30 heads of state, and they’re going to
discuss the greatest project of our generation, the Belt and Road
Initiative.
Now, so far, there’s no indication or announcement that
President Trump or other U.S. representatives will attend, but
—
HELGA ZEPP-LAROUCHE: “If we can convince President Trump to
take up the offer to join with China and the other nations in the
New Silk Road, he can become one of the greatest Presidents of
the history of the United States….”

ROSS:  This initiative, the Belt and Road Initiative, was
launched officially by China in 2013.  It’s a program of mutually
beneficial connectivity, of infrastructure, of common development
programs.  So far, the proposals and works in progress embrace
over 60 nations, affecting over 4 billion people, the majority
of humanity, with plans for $20 trillion in infrastructure
spending.  That’s two or three times what would be needed to
fully revitalize U.S. infrastructure; it’s 20 times the $1
trillion that Trump has called for so far.  This is a huge
project.
These programs have got the potential to eliminate poverty,
on the globe, within a generation, completely and totally
eliminate endemic poverty everywhere.
Already over the past few decades, China has seen phenomenal
development….

SECRETARY OF STATE REX TILLERSON: “And China really began to
feel its oats about that time, and rightfully.  They have
achieved a lot: They moved 500 million Chinese people out of
poverty in to middle-class status….”

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: “OK, it’s a great thing, thank you.
And I met with the President of China, at great length in
Florida.  And we had long, long talks.  Hours and hours and hours.  He’s a good man.”

ROSS:  China is springing ahead with its own development,
and working together with its neighbors.  Through Chinese
investment, by the nation, by the corporations, and through new
financing from institutions like the Asian Infrastructure
Investment Bank, the New Development Bank, and the Silk Road Fund
— these are mechanisms created since 2013 — major projects of
enormous scope are made possible.

RICHARD TRIFAN [The Eurasia Center]: “This is an historic
project, as you all know.  It is probably the biggest global
achievement which is analogous to our reaching out into space,
and to the Moon and other planets.  It’s probably the most
comprehensive initiative that many nations will be working
together on….”

ROSS:  So let’s take a tour:  Starting in Asia, there are
six development corridors proposed by China, for road, rail,
water, electricity, communications, along with soft
infrastructure such as education, customs standardization,
cultural exchange.  These corridors are currently under way to
varying degrees.  So much of the world is currently working
together for aims of common development, and a shared future of
advancement, of dignity, and of scientific achievement.  Will the
U.S. join in?  We’re invited with open arms.

ZHANG MEIFANG [Deputy Consul Chinese Consulate, New York]:
“Last, but not the least, I want to quote President Xi as saying
that China welcomes the United States to participate in
cooperation within the Belt and Road framework.  Both countries
should really seize the opportunities….”

ROSS:  Let’s accept this invitation.  The U.S. of a hundred
years from now, looking back, will be so glad that we did.
[END VIDEO]

OGDEN:  Now, that video was released on May 9th, and as I
said, quickly received tens of thousands of views on YouTube, a
very rapid circulation.  And despite the fact that almost no one
in the United States at that time was discussing, or frankly had
even heard of the idea of the Belt and Road Initiative or the New
Silk Road, or the One Belt, One Road policy of China, all of a
sudden this project and this idea asserted itself in a very large
way and was thrust into the center of U.S. political debate.
Almost seemingly out of nowhere, three days after the release of
that video, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer was asked
multiple times during the White House press briefing about the
One Belt, One Road policy and whether or not President Trump was
going to be sending a representative to the Belt and Road Forum
in Beijing, and whether the United States was going to join the
New Silk Road.  So here’s that press briefing from May 12th of
this year:

[BEGIN VIDEO]
Q: “I wanted to ask you about the One Belt, One Road summit
that starts on Sunday in China.  You announced yesterday, or
Secretary Ross said that you’re going to send a delegation to
that summit.  Could you talk about how you came to that
conclusion, why it’s important for the U.S to be represented at
what’s ostensibly a major trade initiative by a foreign country?”

PRESS SECRETARY SEAN SPICER: “As you point, it’s a major
trade initiative.  There’s a lot of ports and infrastructure that
they’re going to do, and through those discussions that Secretary
Ross and Secretary Mnuchin and others had at Mar-a-Lago, and part
of this is that this is something they’ve done; we’re going to
continue to work with them.  Obviously, trade is a major issue
for us and what they’re looking to do is of great importance to
our economic and national security, and they’ve asked us to send
people to that.  And we have them attend things that we’re doing
as well.  And I think that’s, as the President has shown in terms
of the relationship that he’s built with President Xi, and the
rest of the team has built with their delegation, those
relationships are clearly paying dividends both on the national
security front and on the economic front.
“Jennifer?”

Q: “…is the U.S. going to participate in the One Belt, One
Road initiative?”

SEAN SPICER: “We’ll have a readout. At this point that’s all
we have on One Belt, One Road….”
[END VIDEO]

OGDEN:  So, as you saw, it was announced that President
Trump had really at the last minute, decided to send a high-level
representative to the Belt and Road Forum.  This is very much,
largely due to the campaign that we waged here in the United
States, and that high-level representative from the State
Department was sent to the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, Matt
Pottinger.
Now, also in attendance at that historic summit in Beijing,
with multiple heads of state and representatives from all around
the world {was}:  Helga Zepp-LaRouche herself.  And that was
really poetically just that she should be there.  Because the
fact is, she is recognized in China as the “Silk Road Lady,” and
the efforts of herself and her husband Lyndon LaRouche and the
movement which has been inspired by them, really has laid the
groundwork for what became in the year 2017, the great
flourishing of the New Silk Road.  So, Helga Zepp-LaRouche
attended this Belt and Road Forum; she was present there in the
proceedings, and she also conducted numerous other meetings.  She
was a speaker at some of the roundtable discussions and break-out
sessions on the side, and then followed that with a two-week tour
of China.  Helga Zepp-LaRouche gave a report back on her
presence, on her participation in the Belt and Road Forum, and
during that report she gave a wonderful overview of the 40 years
of effort that she and her husband, Lyndon LaRouche, have
invested into bringing this vision into actuality.  Going all the
way back to Lyndon LaRouche’s proposal in 1971 for an
International Development Bank and the development of the entire
planet.  You’ll see that she goes through that entire sweep of
history.  So, obviously, reviewing this sweep of history is a
very appropriate thing to do on the occasion today of Mr. and
Mrs. LaRouche’s 40th wedding anniversary that we’re observing
today.
So, I’d like to play for you a short excerpt from that
report back, that very immediate report that Helga LaRouche had
upon her return from this historic Belt and Road Forum on May 14
and 15 of this year.

HELGA ZEPP-LAROUCHE:  I just wanted to make sure that you
get a first impression from me from my trip, because the worst
mistake we could make is to respond to the absolutely incredible
propaganda coming from the US mainstream media and the new
liberal media in Europe; like Der Spiegel underlined, the chief
editor piece which was really out of this way.  It is very clear
that people who are primarily relying on such media, have a
completely, totally 100% wrong idea what the reality is that’s
going on.  We should really get that out of our heads and not try
to swim within the fish bowl of an artificially created
environment.  Because from my standpoint, the world looks very
different.
First of all, I said this already and I reiterate it.  With
the Belt and Road Forum, the world has dramatically consolidated
the beginning of a new era.  I don’t think at all that short of
World War III, this is going to go away, because the majority of
the world is moving in a completely liberated way.  This was the
highest level I ever participated in; there were 28 heads of
state speaking one after the other.  Obviously, the speech by Xi
Jinping was absolutely outstanding.  Whoever has time to listen
to it, should really do it; because it was a very Confucian
speech which set the tone for the two-day conference in a very
clear way.  So, please listen to it when you have some time.
I think the way people have to understand what is going on,
is you have to really think what this organization, and Lyn in
particular, did for the last almost 50 years.  The first time
when Lyn in 1971 recognized what the significance of the
dismantling of the Bretton Woods system was, and then all the
many things we did in the last over 40 years.  Lyn coming back
from the Iraqi Ba’ath Party celebrations in 1975 when he proposed
the IDB as an International Development Bank to foster a New
World Economic Order.  The fact that we for one year campaigned
with this IDB proposal which then basically became part of the
Colombo, Sri Lanka resolution of the Non-Aligned Movement in ’76.
Then at the end of the ’70s when we worked with Indira Gandhi on
a 40-year development plan for India.  We published a whole book
about the industrialization of Africa.  We worked with López
Portillo on Operation Juárez.  We put out a 50-year Pacific Basin
Development Plan.  Lyn had already proposed the Oasis Plan.  And
then naturally when the Wall came down and the Soviet Union
disintegrated, we proposed the Productive Triangle and the
Eurasian Land-Bridge.  All of these proposals — and just think
of the many, many activities we did — conferences on five
continents; all of this was on the level of ideas.  But only
after Xi Jinping put the New Silk Road on the agenda in 2013 and
in the four years of breathtaking developments of the One Belt,
One Road Initiative since, these ideas are becoming realized; and
the genie is out of the bottle.  You have now the bi-oceanic
railway discussion and the tunnels and bridges connecting the
Atlantic and Pacific around Latin America.  You have all these
railways now being opened up in Africa.
This is unprecedented; this was not done by the IMF or the
World Bank.  They suppressed it with the conditionalities.  But
with the AIIB [Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank], the new
Development Bank, the New Silk Road Fund, the Maritime Silk Road
Fund, the direct investment of the Chinese Ex-Im Bank, the China
State Bank; all of these projects are now proceeding, and they
have completely changed the attitude and the self-confidence of
all participating countries.
The way people in China look at President Trump is
absolutely different than what the media is trying to say.  They
are very positive about Trump, in the same way that people in
Russia think Trump is somebody you can absolutely have a decent
relationship with; and that is reality.  Forget the media; forget
these whores of the press who are really just prostitutes for the
British Empire.  Don’t pay any attention to what they say, and
don’t allow other people you are talking with to do that either.
When Trump promised $1 trillion investment, this was the
right thing, and we put out the right program saying the United
States must join the Silk Road.  That should be our focus and
nothing else.  Everything else should be a subsumed aspect of
that.  This is the strategically important thing.  And the fact
that the head of the China Investment Corporation, Ding Xuedong,
said it’s not $1 trillion, but $8 trillion that the United States
needs; this is absolutely on the mark and you know it yourself
from the condition of the roads and the infrastructure in all of
the United States.  The fact that this same organization has now
set up an office in New York, advising Chinese investors how to
invest in the United States, and vice versa how US investors can
invest in China; the fact that the Chinese are invited to
participate in this infrastructure conference in June; all of
this is absolutely going in the right direction.
What happened in the Belt and Road Forum and the many
meetings I had afterwards — after all, I spent two full weeks in
Beijing, in Manjing, in Shanghai.  But it’s the fact that in the
many interviews, many quotes, we were treated with the highest
respect possible.  People are fully aware of Lyn’s significance
as a theoretician of physical economy; his ideas are highly
respected.  People treated me as we should be treated; namely, as
people who have devoted their entire lives to the common good of
humanity.  This is in absolute stark contrast to the shitty
behavior that we are getting normally from the neo-liberals in
the trans-Atlantic region.  You should understand that what the
attack on Trump is supposed to do, is to make it so difficult for
him to focus on the positive aspects; and there are quite some
many of them, including his working relationship with Russia and
China, which is strategically the most important.  Basically, he
has to defend his staff, and everybody thinks they have to spend
all the time to defend themselves.  So, don’t fall for it.  The
idea that we are losing is completely off; mankind is on the
winning track, and we have to pull the American population up to
create the kind of ferment so the implementation of the
infrastructure program as a first step is on the agenda and on
everybody’s mind and nothing else.
I have the strong conviction that by the end of this year,
the world will look completely different because the development
perspective is so contagious that I think all the efforts by the
British Empire to somehow throw in a monkey wrench will not work.
So, take the winning perspective; take the high ground.  Think
strategically and realize that what is happening in reality in
many development projects around the world is what this
organization has been fighting for, for almost half a century.  I
just wanted to tell you that, because the worst thing we could do
is look at it from inside the United States, from within the box,
when the whole world has moved out of the box decisively with the
Belt and Road Forum, which is not going to be stopped by
anything.  That is my view I wanted communicate.

OGDEN:  This is an inexorable, almost irresistible dynamic;
this is a dynamic which is not going to be stopped by anything.
Of course, the subsequent months saw a very dramatic attempt to
escalate the campaign to undermine and overturn the Presidency of
the United States; largely because of President Trump’s
willingness and commitment to working together with these
countries which were supposed to be our enemies and our
adversaries under the Obama view of the world.  But also, we saw
the continued expansion of the Silk Road.  This was almost an
unstoppable march of this development perspective to every corner
of the planet.
Perhaps most significantly, we saw the development of
Africa.  This is a continent which for centuries had been kept in
an enforced state of backwardness, poverty, miserable famine
across the entire continent of Africa; with no development.  What
China has done just in the last few months, has been
unbelievable; in terms of the railroads that have been built, the
power projects that have been built, the water projects that are
now under consideration such as the Transaqua project.  But
already, just in the latter portion of this year, we’ve seen the
dramatic transformation of the continent of Africa and the change
in the attitude of the African people; who now are — as Helga
LaRouche has repeatedly noted — have a renewed sense of optimism
and self-confidence because of what China has done to bring
development to that continent.
We’ve also seen the nations of South and Central America
begin to embrace the Silk Road spirit.  We’ve seen increasing
collaboration between China and Russia, with the integration of
the Silk Road and the Eurasian Economic Union idea.  We’ve seen
barriers that have been erected geopolitically between nations in
South and Southeastern Asia crumbling as we speak.  We saw the
forging of a new partnership between Japan and China; two nations
which have historically been at each other’s throats.  We’ve seen
the Philippines join enthusiastically the New Silk Road dynamic
and reach out a hand of collaboration to China in friendship.
And we’ve even seen nations in Europe — most notably southern
and eastern Europe — enthusiastically become part of the New
Silk Road dynamic.  So, you’ve had an almost unstoppable rhythm
of developments, month after month, week after week of nations
embracing this New Silk Road spirit.
As Helga Zepp-LaRouche said at the conclusion of that report
that she delivered immediately after her attendance at the Belt
and Road Forum in Beijing in May of this year, she said, “I am
confident that, by the end of this year, the world will have been
transformed in a very dramatic way by the New Silk Road dynamic.”
Indeed, now we sit at the end of this year, and what Helga
Zepp-LaRouche said at that point is very true.  So, if we fast
forward from May, those dramatic developments leading into and
then leading out of that Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, China;
if we fast forward from May all the way up to November, and take
a look at the historic trip by President Trump to China — the
“state visit-plus” that he made — which occurred in the
immediate aftermath of the historic Chinese Communist Party
National Congress; where President Xi Jinping was elevated to
another term as President of China.  The Silk Road idea was
literally written into the Chinese Constitution.  This historic
trip that President Trump made to China, which was in the context
of his grand tour of Asia, of southern and southeastern Asia as a
whole; this trip consolidated an entirely new era in US-China
relations.
Again, Helga Zepp-LaRouche, who is a unique voice in terms
of her analysis, because she’s not just a commentator looking at
this from the outside; but again, is speaking as somebody who has
been on the ground for years if not decades in bringing this Silk
Road reality into existence.  Helga Zepp-LaRouche, in the
aftermath of President Trump’s historic state visit-plus to
China, gave her analysis and her report on what the significance
of President Trump’s visit to Beijing and his continued, very
warm special relationship with President Xi Jinping of China.
So, here’s what Helga Zepp-LaRouche had to say in the immediate
aftermath of President Trump’s historic visit to China in
November of this year.

ZEPP-LAROUCHE:  I think it is the beginning of a new era of
strategic relationships between the United States and China, as
Xi Jinping had said.  What they did in order to receive Trump and
give him the best possible honors, the characterization was that
this was a “state visit-plus” and President Xi Jinping even said
that this was a “state visit-plus-plus”.  They rolled out the red
carpet, so to speak, in a way that they have never done for any
other foreign dignitary before since the existence of the
People’s Republic of China. What they did is, they had a first
day of introducing President Trump to the ancient culture of
China.  For that purpose, they closed down the Forbidden City for
an entire day; then they had a gala dinner in one of the palaces.
They showed him three different Beijing operas, they showed him
the restoration of art, crafts, and similar things.  Obviously,
President Xi Jinping was the tour guide for all of this.  Anybody
who has ever read or listened to his speeches knows that he is
very well-cultured in Chinese history, but also in universal
history.  So, this is really an incredible thing.  Naturally,
there were other aspects like trade deals for $253 billion.  When
President Trump came back from the Asia trip, he said that he had
deals for about $300 billion, but that would only be the
beginning.  Soon this figure would be three-fold.
But I think much more important — as much as the economic
deals are important; I don’t want to neglect that — but I think
much more deeply was the deep human accord between these two
Presidents.  So, I am confident that the chance to have a new
renaissance, to have an uplifting of people where the best
traditions of all nations and cultures of this planet are being
revived; and out of that, a new renaissance can be created.  I
think that that is an absolutely realistic possibility.  So, be
happy and join us.

OGDEN:  And indeed, an immense optimism was unleashed around
the world after seeing this very successful trip that President
Trump made to China.  There was an optimism from inside the
United States; notably, most conspicuously, the case of West
Virginia.  If we take a look at West Virginia Governor Jim
Justice, who announced in the immediate aftermath of President
Trump’s return from this historic trip to China, he [Justice]
announced an $83.7 billion investment deal that was signed
between China and the state of West Virginia.  This is $10
billion more than West Virginia’s entire annual GDP for the year
2016, which was only $73.4 billion.  So, this investment is $83.7
billion into one of the most impoverished and really despairing
states in the entire United States.  Just take a look at the
optimism and the sheer enthusiasm that Governor Jim Justice of
West Virginia showed in this press conference that he gave, upon
announcing this investment by China into his state.

GOVERNOR JIM JUSTICE:  Who in the world can even begin to
describe what $83.7 billion of money and investments is?  Well,
I’ll tell you what it is.  Do you realize it’s 83,700 $1 million
investments?  Now just think about that.  83,700 $1 million
investments.  I don’t know if you could actually pull this off,
but you could maybe be able to rebuild every city in the state of
West Virginia with $83.7 billion.  I would say to all of y’all
that may be doubters that this could become a reality.  Don’t
get on the wrong side of it, because really and truly, it’s a
comin’; it’s coming.

OGDEN:  So, “Don’t get on the wrong side of it,” this is a
reality.  And “really and truly, it’s a comin’|”.  I think that
perfectly describes this inexorable irresistibility of the New
Silk Road.  I think it encapsulates the year 2017 in just a few
phrases.  2017 truly was the year that the Silk Road spirit swept
the globe; including the state of West Virginia.  It’s indeed,
the perfect optimism out of the mouth of Governor Jim Justice
there in West Virginia.  It’s the perfect expression of the
sentiment that we, as Americans, should all have as we reflect
back on the year 2017 and look ahead at the year 2018.  Don’t get
on the wrong side of this, because it’s a comin’.
So, to conclude our broadcast, and to conclude this year, I
would like to play a short video message by Helga Zepp-LaRouche,
which is really her end of the year message.  This is her appeal
for the year 2018, which she says must be the year that we see
the end, once and for all, of the idea of geopolitics, and the
consolidation of the “win-win” collaboration of all nations in
this New Paradigm.  So, here’s Helga Zepp-LaRouche’s end of the
year message.

ZEPP-LAROUCHE:  … [T]hat in the almost four and a half
years now that Xi Jinping, the President of China, has put the
Belt and Road Initiative, the New Silk Road on the table, you see
a dynamic which is unbelievable.  First of all, China naturally
is economically exploding with development, with optimism, with
absolute ambitious infrastructure projects — we should talk
about that in detail in a minute — and many other countries, I
think well above 70 countries and 40 international large
associations and institutions are cooperating with the New Silk
Road.  And all of these countries have been gripped by an
enormous sense of optimism, which some people call the “Silk Road
Spirit,” which is the sense of entering a new era of mankind; and
the rest of the Europeans and Americans don’t know it!  The only
people in the United States who have an inkling, are those from
West Virginia and some other states who travelled with President
Trump on his recent trip and came back with enormous deals; like
West Virginia having a deal of $83 billion over the next 10
years.  And people really see that the United States could
absolutely join and be a part of it.
But I think that the key battle in which the world really
is, that you have the old neo-cons, the neo-liberals, who want to
stick, with geopolitics, who want to keep the image of China and
Russia as enemies and want to continue the British Empire game of
divide and conquer, playing one section against another section;
versus what is clearly the winning strategy and that is what Xi
Jinping has put on the agenda, with a “win-win” cooperation of
all nations of the world, and with the idea of a new paradigm, a
“community for a shared future of mankind,” a community of
destiny: The idea that geopolitics can be overcome.  And more and
more countries are joining with this new conception.
So, the battle really is, can we in time, before a new
financial crash comes down on us — you know, it’s hanging over
our heads like a Damocles’ Sword — can we in time get the kinds
of changes in the United States in particular, but also in
Western Europe, to join in this New Paradigm, or will this battle
for civilization be lost?  I’m very optimistic it can be won, but
it requires activity:  We’re not experiencing dialectical
materialism, or historical materialism, where positive events are
just taking on a life of their own; because it is always the
subjective factor which plays a very large role, and one place
you can see this very clearly is in the person of Xi Jinping, who
has really given an already positive Chinese development, a
complete upgrade, and a complete transformation into a New
Paradigm. And we would need such people in the West to do
likewise.
The Schiller Institute is absolutely committed to doing
everything possible that we can get the United States and Europe
to cooperate with the New Silk Road, because that will be the
decisive battle for the coming year….
So this is the perspective that has to happen in the year
2018, because I think the present status quo is not going to
last.  I appeal to all of you, use this New Year to get the
United States and European countries in the New Silk Road Spirit.

OGDEN:  That is the task for the year 2018.  The key battle,
as Helga Zepp-LaRouche said, is that of the old paradigm of
geopolitics versus the New Paradigm of “win-win” collaboration
and this idea of a community of common destiny for all mankind.
We, as we sit now at the threshold of a new year — 2018 — we
find ourselves at the most crucial decisive inflection point in
that battle.  Everything hinges on victory in bringing the United
States into that New Paradigm; victory in instilling the Silk
Road Spirit into our fellow Americans; and finally, decisively,
the United States abandoning geopolitics once and for all, and
joining the New Silk Road.  Joining the One Belt, One Road
Initiative.
So, we have a crucial piece of material for securing that
victory.  This has just been released; just in time for the New
Year.  This is the new pamphlet from LaRouche PAC — “The Four
Economic Laws of Lyndon LaRouche; The Crucial Physical Economic
Principles Needed for the Recovery of the United States.
America’s Future on the New Silk Road.”  You can see on your
screen there, the link that you can obtain the digital copy of
this, and it’s also circulating in the streets of the United
States as we speak in this pamphlet form.  So, what your task is
for the remaining days, the remaining hours of 2017, is to get a
hold of a copy of this pamphlet.  If you have not yet caught the
contagion of the New Silk Road Spirit, that’s your task for the
remaining hours of this year.  And to hit the ground running as
we enter into this New Year — 2018 — which must see, finally
once and for all, the end of geopolitics and the consolidation of
this community of shared destiny for all mankind.
Thank you very much for joining me here today.  We would
like to thank you for being so active over the course of this
past year — 2017 — which has seen many victories and many
advancements towards victory.  But what we have to do now as we
enter into this New Year is to redouble our efforts.  I think the
perfect way of celebrating and observing the 40th wedding
anniversary of Helga Zepp-LaRouche and Lyndon LaRouche, and
honoring the work that the two of them have done over the last 40
years, is to rededicate ourselves to consolidating a victory for
this vision once and for all during the course of the coming
year.  So, Happy New Year to you, and we will see you again as
you tune in next year to larouchepac.com.  Good night.

31. dec., 2017 – Tre FN-organisationer, Verdenssundhedsorganisationen, Verdensfødevareprogrammet og FN’s Børnefond (UNICEF), udstedte den 30. dec. en fælles erklæring med advarsel om, at Yemen hastigt er i færd med at skride ud i en intensiverende katastrofe som følge af den saudiskledede krig mod landet.

»Konflikten i Yemen har skabt den værste humanitære katastrofe i verden – en krise, der har opslugt hele landet«, lyder erklæringen. »Henved 75 % af Yemens befolkning har behov for humanitærhjælp, inklusive 1,3 mio. børn, der ikke kan overleve uden det. Mindst 60 % af yemenitterne har nu ikke sikkerhed for fødevarer og ordentlige sanitære forhold. Endnu mange flere mangler adgang til basale sundhedsydelser. Under halvdelen af Yemens sundhedsfaciliteter fungerer på fuld kraft, og sundhedspersonalet har ikke fået løn i månedsvis.

Disse uhyrlige tal for konfliktens ødelæggelser er kun et spejlbillede af det, vi har kendskab til. I virkeligheden er situationen sandsynligvis værre. FN-organisationer har ikke fuld humanitær adgang til nogle af de hårdest ramte lokalsamfund. Mange steder kan vi ikke engang skønne, hvor store behovene er«, fortsætter erklæringen. »Men så meget ved vi: Yemen har overskredet det punkt, hvor det er tippet over i en hastig nedgang fra krise til intensiverende katastrofe.«

Der har været lidt fremskridt i de seneste dage, med genåbningen af Hodeidah havn, der har gjort indførsel af en vis mængde fødevarer og brændsel mulig. Der er imidlertid stadig en alvorlig mangel på brændsel til elektricitet og vandpumpestationer. »To tredjedele af yemenitter, der lever i ekstrem fattigdom, har nu slet ikke råd til vand, der er sikkert at drikke. Dette truer alt sammen med at underminere bestræbelserne på at begrænse det igangværende, dødbringende udbrud af difteri, kolera og akut vandig diarré.«

Alle, der i Yemen lider af kolera, har en næsten 100 % ’s chance for at overleve, hvis de har adgang til fungerende sundhedsydelser, lyder erklæringen. »Men de stadigt forværrende vilkår på stedet truer med at overvælde vores evne til at respondere. Hvis vi ikke kan få større adgang, og volden ikke stilner af, vil prisen i tabte liv blive uberegnelig. Det er grunden til, at vi nu igen appellerer til konfliktens parter om omgående at tillade fuld, humanitær adgang i Yemen, og om at stoppe kampene.«

31. dec., 2017 – Det var med stor selvsikkerhed og optimisme, at præsident Xi Jinping leverede sit Nytårsbudskab til det kinesiske folk, og til verden. Idet han bemærkede den 19. partikongres’ skelsættende natur som en milepæl for Kinas nye færd, gennemgik han nogle af højdepunkterne for Kinas præstationer i løbet af det forgangne år, hvor Kina har løftet endnu 10 mio. mennesker ud af fattigdom, skabt 13 mio. jobs., bragt 900 mio. mennesker ind i det sociale system for alderdomsforsorg og sikret sygesikring for alle kinesere. Han citerede den store kinesiske digter Du Fu, »Hvis jeg blot havde ti tusinder af huse, ville jeg huse alle de fattige mennesker, der så ville lyse af smil«.

Dernæst opremsede præsident Xi nogle af de betydningsfulde, videnskabelige præstationer, Kina har gennemført i 2017, inkl. rumteleskopet, kvantum-computeren, det første, kinesiskproducerede hangarskib og den succesfulde produktion af ris i saltholdig jord. Han nævnte ligeledes årets store begivenheder, inkl. det vigtige Bælte & Vej Forum for Internationalt Samarbejde og »Kinas Kommunistiske Parti i dialog med verdens politiske partier«, som fulgte efter den 19. partikongres. Han nævnte også nogle af sine egne store, diplomatiske rejser og taler i 2017, inkl. sin tale på Davos Økonomiske Verdensforum og FN’s hovedkvarter i Genève.

Idet Xi vendte tilbage til KKP’s 19. partikongres, gentog han dens betydning med at skabe en plan for landets udvikling hen over de kommende tre årtier. »For at overføre planen til virkeligheden, må vi hverken fare frem i en fantasi, og heller ikke lade os lede af falskhedens klang«, sagde Xi, men derimod »arbejde støt og på en jordbunden måde«. Og retningslinjen for den forestående opgave var tydeligvis afstukket af behovet for at overvinde fattigdom i Kina frem til år 2020. Den historiske betydning heraf for verden, og som ikke har noget fortilfælde, blev ligeledes understreget af præsident Xi. »Hvis vi vinder kampen mod fattigdom om tre år efter planen, vil det markere den første, totale fjernelse af absolut forarmelse i den kinesiske nations historie, der har varet i tusinder af år. Lad os arbejde sammen for denne store præstation, der er betydningsfuld for både den kinesiske nation, og for menneskeheden.«

Sluttelig gentog præsident Xi Kinas opmærksomhed på den internationale forpligtelse, som er blevet pålagt det gennem dets udvikling siden reformen og åbningen ud mod verden, for 40 år siden i det kommende år. Xi gentog, at Kina ville påtage sig sine internationale ansvar og forpligtelser, gå fremefter med Bælte & Vej Initiativet og bidrage til at bygge en verden for fred og udvikling; og sammen med andre nationer bygge en »skøn fremtid« for hele menneskeheden. »De går alle ind for en fælles opbygning af et fællesskab med en fælles fremtid for menneskeheden, med det formål at være til fordel for mennesker i hele verden«, sagde han.

Foto: Kinas præsident Xi Jinping leverer sit nytårsbudskab, 31. dec. 

31. dec., 2017 – Præsident Xi Jinping sendte, på vegne af den kinesiske regering og folket, nytårshilsener til præsident Vladimir Putin og det russiske folk. I sit budskab opfordrede præsident Xi til »nye frugter i udviklingen af bilaterale bånd«. Xi sagde, at 2018 og 2019 vil blive år med større samarbejde og udvekslinger mellem de to lande. Han sagde, at det udrindende år havde set vigtige fremskridt i udviklingen af de to landes »omfattende strategiske partnerskab for koordinering«, og at de havde »hentet en væsentlig, indledende høst hjem gennem en sammenkobling mellem Bælte & Vej Initiativet og den Eurasiske Økonomiske Union«. Xi sagde ligeledes, at de to lande havde opretholdt en tæt og effektiv koordinering inden for internationale og regionale anliggender, og har leveret et betydningsfuldt bidrag til bevarelse af verdensfreden og stabiliteten i verden. I sit returbudskab sagde præsident Putin, at der har været betydelige fremskridt i volumen af tovejshandelen og »livlige udvekslinger« inden for områderne teknologi, kultur og mellemfolkelige relationer. Putin aflagde løfte om, at hans land ville tilslutte sig Kinas ihærdige bestræbelser på at intensivere det omfattende, strategiske partnerskab mellem de to lande.

Foto: Præsidenterne Putin og Xi. Arkivfoto.