Many nations have military presence in the South China Sea
China continues to develop its military presence in the South China Sea:
February 25, 2016
BANGKOK—China has again sent fighter jets to a disputed island where earlier this month it redeployed surface-to-air missiles and appears to be building a sophisticated radar system, according to U.S. officials.
Fewer than 10 jets – a combination of Shenyan J-11 and Xian JH-7 aircraft – have been spotted on Woody Island in the Paracel chain in the South China Sea, officials in Washington, who spoke on condition they not be named, told reporters late Tuesday.
On Wednesday, Nina Hachigian, the U.S. ambassador to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, told reporters, “We are very concerned that these actions are increasing tensions in the region and are counterproductive.”
The fighter jet sightings follow the placement of HQ-9 surface-to-air missiles on the 210-hectare island, known in Chinese as Yongxing and called Phu Lam by Vietnam, which also claims it.
Analysts express more alarm about the construction of a high frequency radar facility on the island, 400 kilometers southeast of China’s Hainan island.
Radar advantages
The radar would bolster Beijing’s ability to monitor surface and air traffic in the tense waters and “along with the development of new runways and air defense capabilities, they speak to a long-term anti-access strategy by China – one that would see it establish effective control over the sea and airspace throughout the South China Sea,” according to the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.
After Chinese state media last November published images of J-11 fighter jets on Woody Island, the U.S. Navy sailed a guided-missile destroyer past another contested island in the South China Sea and flew B-52 bombers and sailed another warship in the region for a “freedom of navigation” exercise.
“Our freedom of navigation operations are routine, they are lawful,” said Ambassador Hachigian, speaking from Jakarta on a conference call. “They’re conducted in accordance with international law. We’ve conducted these operations around the globe since 1979, including in the South China Sea and the South China Sea cannot be an exception.”
Such activities have prompted Chinese officials to blame the United States for increasing tensions.
Diplomats meet
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi, visiting the U.S. State Department on Tuesday, said he hoped that such flights and patrols by U.S. forces near the contested islands would cease.
“Regrettably, there are missiles, fighter aircraft, guns, artillery and other things that have been placed in the South China Sea, and this is of great concern to everyone who transits and relies on the South China Sea for peaceful trade, commerce and use,” U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, standing alongside Yi, told reporters. http://www.voanews.com/content/china-redeploys-fighter-jets-on-disputed-island/3204468.html
China is making it clear that it will maintain major military positions in the South China Sea.
South Korea, Japan, Australia,Vietnam, and the Philippines all have hoped that the USA’s increased presence via the “Asia pivot’ would better contain China and prevent it from making territorial assertions and conquests.
Obviously, that does not appear to have been the case.
Last week, someone at the VOA site posted the following (I did not correct the misspelling):
The Obama Adminstration has failed our Asian democratic allies.
More and more around the world are trying to determine how much reliance to place on the USA.
Many Asian nations fear that if they get real close to the USA that this will offend China and that the USA will betray them in the future (the USA has a long history of abandoning/betraying many of its allies).
Despite what the USA does or does not do, the Bible tells of a time when there will be a confederation of the ‘kings of the east’ that will get together (Revelation 16:12). This will include China, Korea, Japan, possibly even the Philippines. Things will one day dramatically change, militarily, in Asia, in terms of cooperation (Revelation 16:12).
But what about Australia and New Zealand?
Well, relying on the USA will not work.
Back in 2009, I came across some interesting Chinese prophecies from the Tang Dynasty (7-10th century). Notice one Chinese prophecy might hint that it involves dividing Australia and New Zealand with Europe. It states:
Population mouth takes territories south of the Yangtze river. The capital is moved again. The two divide up the territories, of which each maintains and defends (Pui-Hua R. Ancient Chinese Prophecies Till the End of the World. AuthorHouse, Bloomington (IN), 2008, p. 164).
This may be related to a deal that perhaps the Chinese will make in the future with Europe (there are some ancient Chinese prophecies that discuss arrangements with some from the West), as opposed to military conquest. It also may not be related to the taking of Australia or New Zealand, but perhaps might be. China is now heavily invested in Australia and may argue that it has rights to the land. Furthermore, in recent years, the Chinese have been buying a lot of real estate in Australia, beyond purchases of mineral assets:
July 28, 2015
It is estimated that last year, the Chinese snapped a quarter of all new stock in Sydney and a fifth in Melbourne.
Chinese capital investments in Australia are on the rise and are expected to be boosted further by recent changes to currency regulations that make it easier for wealthy Chinese to invest in property overseas. Credit Suisse forecasts the Chinese will pump as much as A$60bn ($44.55bn) into Australian property over the next five years.http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20150727-the-newest-chinese-obsession
Notice the following additional Chinese prophecies which tie China in with some from the West.
Beautiful people come from the West. Korea, China and Japan are gradually at peace (Pui-Hua R. Ancient Chinese Prophecies Till the End of the World. AuthorHouse, Bloomington (IN), 2008, p. 85).
All negative forces are subservient…China now has a saint. Even if he is not that great a hero (ibid, p. 89).
Germany and all of Europe are west of China. The “beautiful people” mentioned may be from the Beast and his false prophet which apparently will impress peoples in places including Asia. The “saint” will likely be “the false prophet” also known as the final Antichrist. I suspect that Satan may have inspired these Chinese prophecies so that the Chinese will one day point to them for their justification for getting involved with the Beast power of Revelation 13 (see alsoSatan’s Plan). The Bible says that the whole world will worship that Beast power (Revelation 13:4,8) and that would thus have to include China.
Julia Gillard, while Prime Minister of Australia made a deal with US President Barack Obama to put US troops in the northern Australian city of Darwin. Perhaps of prophetic interest, China dropped a hint in late 2011 that it may attack Australia militarily because of its military relationship with the U.S.A. (Calmes J. Obama Addresses Troops at Final Stop in Australia. November 17, 2011.http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/18/world/asia/obama-addresses-troops-at-final-stop-in-australia.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1). Furthermore, in 2012, China took this a step further and told Australia to choose between it and the USA (Wen P. Chinese official: it’s us or America. National Times, May 16, 2012.http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/chinese-official-its-us-or-america-20120515-1yp5f.html). For many reasons, Australia will mainly remain an ally of the USA, and this will continue to upset the Chinese.
The Chinese, interestingly enough, got control of the port in Darwin last year, and some have concerns:
24 November 2015
The decision to offer a century-long lease over the Port of Darwin to a Chinese company feeds into the PRC’s global strategic aims. Australia ignores this consideration at its peril, writes Geoff Wade.
The national and indeed international reactions to theNorthern Territory Government’s decision to offer a century-long lease over the port of Darwin to Chinese company Landbridge can be divided essentially into two camps.
The dichotomy has on one side those, such as the Trade Minister Andrew Robb and NT Chief Minister Adam Giles, who simply portray the Darwin deal as important for the economic development of northern Australia.
Those of the other side, including both Australian critics and, sotto voce, the Americans, see the deal as a more complex element in growing the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) influence in Australia, which is increasingly constituting a threat to the country’s independence per seand to Western interests in the South Pacific and globally.
Understanding the significance of this deal requires a much wider lens and broader context than those provided by perceived economic self-interest. China’s national revival and its global economic and strategic extension over the decades since Deng Xiaoping, which Xi Jinping has rebranded as the “Chinese Dream”, provide a much clearer schema in which to situate the Darwin deal.
The “Chinese Dream” involves the reassertion of the economic and political primacy that China claims it has enjoyed over neighbours for millennia. This agenda is now being pursued globally but most intensely in South-East Asia and Australia/New Zealand. …
The Darwin deal will provide Chinese shipping and naval vessels with facilitated access to Australia, the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific, as well as to Indonesia and PNG over the coming century. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-24/wade-the-darwin-port-is-another-link-in-china’s-expansion/6967640
The Australians hope that the USA will be able to protect them, while it also increases its trade with China (see After Obama announces stronger military ties to Australia, Australia makes a trade deal with China). Yet, the presence of US troops in China may be used as part of its possible future justification for taking the land of Australia. The Chinese may claim something to the effect that Australia is really a military pawn/representative of the USA and thus, since the USA owes them money, taking over Australia will help settle that debt.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has made many trips to China (see, for example, Germany’s Merkel in China: A Prelude to Daniel 11:39?), and I wonder if a German leader will make a deal to give Australia and New Zealand to some of the Asians.
Consider also the following:
Japan is a major bilateral and regional partner of New Zealand and one of New Zealand’s anchor trading relationships. Japan is New Zealand’s fourth largest trading partner (after Australia the United States and China) http://www.nzibf.co.nz/index.asp?pageID=2145856139
New Zealand has ties to Japan and China. Some in New Zealand seem to hope that being somewhat neutral with weaker ties to the USA than Australia will save them–that will prove to be an error. China also has interest in New Zealand.
Scripturally, Asians seem to be involved with the dividing up and selling of people in the future (Ezekiel 27:12-14). Since Australia and New Zealand are the closest of the Anglo-Saxon descended nations to Asia, they seem to be possible candidates to be taken over by the Asians.
Furthermore, notice the following Catholic prophecy:
American Catholic Prophecy (c. early 20th century): The yellow hordes of the Rising Sun and the middle kingdom will pour out their wrath on the people of the island kingdom which had gathered riches through trade (Dupont, Catholic Prophecy: The Coming Chastisement. TAN Books, Rockford (IL), 1973, p. 78).
Australia and New Zealand are island nations that have gained riches through trade. Since the USA owes Japan (the “land of the rising sun”) and China (the “middle kingdom”) massive amounts of money, it may be since Australia and New Zealand will be allies of the USA and UK, that Europe will give Australia over to China (and/or others in Asia) and New Zealand over to Japan (and/or others in Asia) to help satisfy the USA/UK debt. Both China and Japan have longed for more land and the proximity of the island nations of Australia and New Zealand to the Asian powers seems to make this a likely scenario. The fact that Australia has about 78% as much land as China and New Zealand about 71% of the land of Japan make them interesting candidates for takeover.
Not surprisingly, Australians are starting to wonder about problems with China:
“ALMOST half of Australians believe that China will become a military threat to Australia within 20 years,” according to a recent Lowy Institute poll. While most Australians appreciate the economic benefits of a relationship with China, most believe that their government has allowed too much Chinese investment in Australia. A majority also feel China’s goal is to dominate the Asian region. The survey revealed that Australians “were positive about China’s economic growth but fearful of its military aims” (The Courier-Mail, May 31, 2010).
According to The Sydney Morning Herald, “China has detonated an economic bombshell on the eve of the Prime Minister’s drive to sell the carbon tax, warning Australia has a ‘dual-speed and patchwork economy’ and relies too heavily on Beijing’s demand for minerals.” (July 7, 2011, p.2).
The Australians themselves have had various military concerns about China. In late 2011, the Australians made a deal to allow the USA to station “permanent troops” in their country (see Obama Putting ‘Permanent’ Troops in Australia Because of China, But…).
UPDATE 2/25/16: Australia has decided to boost its military:
Defence Force upgrade: Australia will be armed to the teeth under new government plan
2/25/16
AUSTRALIA will embark on the largest peacetime upgrade to our armed forces in history in the face of a rapid military build-up in our region and multiple global security threats.
An unprecedented expansion of naval, air force and army capability over the next 20 years will also boost the size of the Australian Defence Force to more than 62,000 — the largest military force since 1993.
Australia’s spying capability and surveillance footprint will also be dramatically extended, making us the eyes and ears of the South East Asia region with the use of high-altitude, long-range unmanned drones for the first time.http://www.heraldsun.com.au/technology/defence-force-upgrade-australia-will-be-armed-to-the-teeth-under-new-government-plan/news-story/8a0d820e950f80fc042346fc218bf162
But that will not be enough. Australia simply could not defeat an enemy like China or Europe.
The presence of US troops in China may also be used as part of China’s possible future justification for taking the land of Australia. The Chinese may claim something to the effect that Australia is really a military pawn/representative of the USA and thus, since the USA owes them money, taking over Australia will help settle that debt. But like the other Anglo-lands, those of Australia will experience captivity by gentile nations at the end of the age (Amos 5:3; Deuteronomy 28:41-50).
As the USA will not be the salvation of Australia–that will take the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of the Kingdom of God. Similarly, those in the USA, UK, Canada, and New Zealand will one day realize that the USA will not be able to protect them. Can you see the ‘Handwriting on the Wall’?
The USA remains concerned about China and Russia and that is part of why it has been implementing its so-called ‘Asian pivot’ strategy. Yet, under the Obama Administration, relations between the USA and Russia are probably lower than any point since the Cold War, and China has made more territorial excursions and threats than it previously had.
Europe is watching all of this and is considering how to better arm itself–and that will not end well for the USA militarily per Daniel 11:39. Europe is trying not to unduly upset China and its vessels to be able to proceed in what many consider international waters.
The current world order dominated by the USA, and formerly by the UK is being changed. The Bible shows that the time of Jacob’s trouble (Jeremiah 30:7) is getting nearer–and that will greatly affect the USA, the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand which have descendants from Jacob also known as Israel. The Bible also tells of the final time of the Gentiles. (Luke 21:23-24; Revelation 11:2), which means the time when the descendants of Israel will no longer dominate the world scene.
We are getting closer to that time (see also When Will the Great Tribulation Begin?).
The ‘pivot’ of the USA towards Asia will not save the USA or Asia. But China’s movement of missiles will likely encourage the USA to remain more focused militarily on Asia than Bible prophecy deems wise.
News presenter: John Hickey
