China is the most populated country. It is a member of the United Nations Security Council, G-20 leading economic countries, BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) emerging economies and a nuclear nation. Their economy is third to the European Union and United States but rising. A growing Chinese economy increases its investment in the military. Financial success results in a better standard of living for some citizens but not greater personal liberty. Problems exist with overpopulation and aging because of the one-child policy.

China is a superpower on the move. Their military is building islands and fortifying defenses to strengthen its control of the South China Sea. They set up a "string of pearls" from the China Sea, Indian Ocean and Suez Canal which controls choke points along with ports in Sudan, Pakistan, Panama, Sri Lanka and South East Asia. This is a direct economic and military threat to India and the United States. With an emerging economy, they are more dependent on oil from Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Russia.

In 2015, China participated in the P5+1 Iran Nuclear Agreement. Countries includes UN permanent members (China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, United States) plus Germany and European Union. China  was caught hacking 20 million US government personnel records. In August, they devalue the yuan to manipulate their currency. This increases exports to America but hurts US imports to China. In September, President Xi Jinping met with US technology companies about opening markets to China and sharing technology. China sees weakness and plans to be leader of the world.

China and United States compete for limited natural resources such as oil, iron and rare earth minerals. America is at a growing disadvantage because our shortsighted politicians, budget deficits, trade deficits and greedy corporations seek cheap labor overseas. China is a much bigger threat to the United States than Islamic terrorism. As America retreats, China, Russia and Islam steps in to fill the void.

Where does this conflict go from here? China challenges the United States both economically, politically and militarily. In the last one thousand years, war always preceded a change of superpower. Watch the regional cold war of Southeast Asia grow into a hot war between the red horse and black horses of United States and India. Revelation 9 describes the first hot war of the Tribulation. During World War III, an army of 200 million crosses the Euphrates River (Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Iran).

The sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice ... saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. The four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, day, month, and year to slay the third part of men. And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred million (Revelation 9:13-14, 15-16).

References: 21st Century Revelation: World Wars, Iraq Wars & End Wars Chapter 20 - Players in the Game, Chapter 21 - Four Horses on the Run, Chapter 24: Between Iraq and a Hard Place, Chapter 25 - Iraq War III, Potential Superpowers, South China Sea, String of Pearls, Revelation Outline, Covenant, Tribulation, Revelation, 21st Century View, Daniel, America, Timeline of the Tribulation