Official Chinese Government Coverage:
"The International Schiller Institute Holds Seminar on OBOR"
February 2017
The article is accompanied by two pictures. One has a shot of the room, with a big screen with Helga, and Patrick Ho at the podium. The caption says: The road for human society. From the scene of OBOR seminar (picture by CED reporter Zhu Jing). The second, displaying a picture of Patrick Ho, with the caption: China Energy Fund Committee Chair and Secretary General, comrade Dr. Patrick Ho, at seminar giving a speech. (picture by CED reporter Zhu Jing). |
The following article dated Feb. 8, 2017 was posted on the official website of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, which we provide in rough translation. The Chinese-language original can be found here.
The International Schiller Institute held a seminar on OBOR a few days ago in New York, featuring founder and chairwoman of the international Schiller Institute, Helga Zepp-LaRouche, and the Chairman and Secretary General of the China Energy Fund Committee, comrade Dr. Patrick Ho. About 50 scholars from Russia, U.S.A., China, plus media and business circles attended the seminar.
Through live video broadcast Helga LaRouche went through Xi Jinping's OBOR proposal, that it is on a mutually beneficial basis, offered to every country as a financial and economic platform. Europe and each and every country's government with wisdom believe that the goal of this proposal is China's help to revive the world's economy, a great economic plan to immediately triple investment. To miss this economic fast train is absolutely not wise.
Over 100 countries have already responded positively to the OBOR proposal. More than 40 countries and international organizations already participate in China's initial (signing) agreement. The Chairwoman put forward that collaboration is a win, and that the idea of mutual development has for a long time been proposed by the SI as the basis for peace and dialogue. The SI concept (and that of OBOR) of mutual development happen to hold the same views.
Helga pointed out that President Trump is in the process of honoring his election promises; that he has declared he wants the U.S. to be placed in an honorable first position, and to introduce trade protection. But the world's economy is weak, every nation must make a great mutual effort to develop the economy and to seek to strive for change of power.
In the backdrop of globalization, it is in every country's interest to be closely linked, and it is very important that all nations work in concert and seek to explore ways for mutual development. Helga expressed that at present the U.S. should comply with the developing tide of history and accede to OBOR, and collaborate with Asia's initiative. In the American government carrying out a positive infrastructure construction, China can participate in collaborating in this development to mutual benefit. Besides, the U.S. government appears to be improving relations with Russia, which will be beneficial for world peace and stabilization. If the U.S., Russia and India can develop a full collaboration, it will have a huge impact on the world economy, safeguarding and stabilizing the world, and promoting the establishment of a new, peaceful international economic order.
Helga appealed to the participants to make a great effort to promote the U.S. government to adopt positive measures to insure that the U.S. implement a mutual beneficial foreign policy.
Dr. Patrick Ho proceeded to give a speech from the standpoint of the tradition of Chinese culture, relating to the Chinese adherence to the idea: do not unto others, as you would not have them do unto you (ji suo bù yù, wù shi yú rén), passed on as related to Zhang Qian (2nd Century BC), a diplomat to the western regions (in Han, west of Dunhuang), the story of Zheng He (leader of Ming naval expedition) who developed foreign trade, and elaborated in China's proposal for peaceful dialogue, win-win collaboration, joint business sponsorship in the spirit of the Silk Road propagating the Chinese people's love of the idea of peace.
His speech very deeply fascinated the participants of the seminar, who paid close attention, and it caused an extremely sympathetic response. According to China Economic Daily reporter's understanding, the SI was founded in May 1984, and has multi-national branches in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Latin America, Australia, Thailand, India and Japan, each organized with their own national characteristics. The Institute's name, Schiller, is commemmorating the 18th Century German poet and writer, Schiller. SI devotes itself to seek to uphold the essence of human beings, and to advance the improvement of human rights.
