Russia and China Draw Closer

The world watched as Russia and China carried out joint military exercises last Thursday with naval ships, bombers, fighter planes and 10,000 troops. Experts say these exercises aren’t really about military training though: They are to show how close Russia and China have become.

Now that the entire world is talking, it is only fair that we show just how far behind most analysts are in watching this alliance. Stratfor was earlier than most.

In February, Stratfor acknowledged the reality of this Sino-Russian strategic alliance. Two telling moves—increased delivery of Russian oil to China and the creation of a mechanism for bilateral security consultation—“could help create a nightmare scenario for Washington, which up to now has considered a Moscow-Beijing alliance only talk” (February 15).

The article explained that “Russia and China both know that, separately, neither country will be able to challenge Washington in the foreseeable future,” and that the only way to respond to the unilateral power of America is to join forces.

The article also reported other developments between the two countries that indicate a growing alliance (including the first-ever joint military exercises August 18), but concluded, “New, bolder, more dramatic steps must follow for the world to see a genuine alliance between Russia and China.”

The scope of these latest military exercises has provided exactly the bold, dramatic step that was needed to grab the world’s attention—especially in the often-threatened island of Taiwan. A senior Chinese military official even suggested the exercises were intended to deter the United States from taking action if the island moved toward independence and China responded with a military attack. A strong military ally for China clearly threatens Taiwanese independence.

As for the Russians, they have now demonstrated that they can carry out major military operation in two arenas simultaneously. Stratfor reported on August 16 that Russian President Vladimir Putin attended the MAKS 2005 international air show in Moscow demonstrating Russia’s most advanced aerospace systems—before traveling to observe the military exercises. “Both exercises serve to reinforce a powerful message to the United States that Russia is still strong and has modern, high-tech means to defend its national interests at the time of a U.S.-led geopolitical offensive against Russia. The exercises are thus intended to show that Russia could successfully resort to military means to stop Washington’s encroachment into its adjacent areas, and that Russia has strong allies ready and able to cooperate militarily with Moscow.”

Here at the Trumpet, we have been forecasting this Sino-Russian alliance for over a decade, following after Herbert W. Armstrong, who did the same for decades before that. How did he know, so far in advance, what we would only now see in our headlines?

Bible prophecies spell out the joint role that Russia and China will play in climactic end-time events. To read about these prophecies and the events that lead to them, please read our booklet Russia and China in Prophecy—originally printed in 1999.