China
Obama Silences Pentagon Orders Them To Stop Talking About Threat From Chinese Military
The Obama White House has barred Pentagon leaders from a key talking point when it comes to publicly describing the military challenges posed by China.
The Obama White House has barred Pentagon leaders from a key talking point when it comes to publicly describing the military challenges posed by China.
In February, Defense Secretary Ash Carter cited the “return to great power of competition” in the Asia-Pacific, “where China is rising.” Similarly, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson characterized China and Russia as rivals in this “great power competition” in his maritime strategy.
But a recent directive from the National Security Council ordered Pentagon leaders to strike out that phrase and find something less inflammatory, according to four officials familiar with the classified document, revealed here for the first time by Navy Times. Obama administration officials and some experts say “great power competition” inaccurately frames the U.S. and China as on a collision course, but other experts warn that China’s ship building, man-made islands and expansive claims in the South and East China seas are hostile to U.S. interests. This needlessly muddies leaders’ efforts to explain the tough measures needed to contain China’s rise, these critics say.
China threat to USA with New advanced ballistic missiles:
“Their explanation is an exercise in nuance and complexity, purposely chosen by the administration to provide maximum flexibility, to prevent them from committing to a real structural approach to the most important national security challenge of our time,” said Bryan McGrath, a naval expert and retired destroyer skipper.
The Obama administration, however, believes that the term “great power competition” oversimplifies a complicated relationship with a rising superpower.
“Nothing is preordained about this relationship,” said a senior administration official in a Sunday phone call. “We don’t buy into the notion that an established and rising power are destined for conflict.”
Top Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook declined to comment on the NSC directive.
“As I am sure you know, we don’t comment on internal policy documents or discussions, especially ones that may be incomplete, and so we will decline to comment here as well,” Cook said.
The Pentagon and the White House have grappled with how to engage with China while confronting their expansive military moves. Early this year, some Pentagon leaders urged tough responses to China’s island building, which threatens allies like the Philippines. In March, the White House similarly dissuaded military leaders from airing differences over the Chinese moves in the South China Sea so as not to complicate a high-level meeting between the the U.S. and Chinese presidents.
Japan expresses concern over “China Threat”:
The U.S. later adopted more muscular moves, like sending destroyers on close passes of China’s fake islands and sending more ships, troops and aircraft to rotate through the Philippines — a neighbor at odds with China over its claims.
‘High-end enemy’
The confrontational rhetoric has at times upset the White House as it pursues agenda items beyond security challenges. The latest directive comes after a September state trip by President Obama and National Security Advisor Susan Rice to the Group of 20 summit in Hangzhou, China.
“Great power competition” has been at the core of Carter’s message, as the services reinvest in the state-of-the-art weapons needed to deter sophisticated opponents like Russia and China.
“We will be prepared for a high-end enemy,” Carter said in February talk to the Economic Forum. “That’s what we call full spectrum. In our budget, our plans, our capabilities and our actions, we must demonstrate to potential foes, that if they start a war, we have the capability to win. … In this context, Russia and China are our most stressing competitors. They have developed and are continuing to advance military systems that seek to threaten our advantages in specific areas. And in some case, they are developing weapons and ways of wars that seek to achieve their objectives rapidly, before they hope, we can respond.”
Great power competition was also the central idea of the CNO’s strategic guidance, which said Russia and China have “a growing arsenal of high-end war-fighting capabilities, many of which are focused specifically on our vulnerabilities.”
Rumors of the directive also rankled some on Capitol Hill. During a recent Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., asked Carter and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joe Dunford to comment.
“Gen. Dunford, are we in great power competition with China?” Cotton asked, to which Dunford replied: “We are, senator.”
When Cotton asked Carter, the secretary replied: “We are. Absolutely right.”
A complex relationship
The back-and-forth comes amid debate about how to confront China’s increasingly aggressive behavior in the South and East China seas. China’s land reclamation projects in the vicinity of the Spratly Islands have been the focus of rising tensions between China and the United States and its regional allies like the Philippines.
In July, an international tribunal dealt a legal blow to China. The panel in The Hague, Netherlands, dismissed China’s attempt to create legal rights for features in the Spratly Islands chain by constructing air strips and bases there. The ruling states that piling dirt and sand on rocky outcroppings and reefs doesn’t confer additional resource rights to the waters around it.
Despite the ruling, China has not vacated its islands and is currently threatening to expand its claims with a new island-building project near Scarborough Shoal, less than 140 miles from the Philippines’ capital and well within the Philippines’ 200-mile exclusive economic zone. A military base on Scarborough would threaten U.S. troops and aircraft in that country.
China has also edged in on Japanese claims in the East China Sea, which has prompted the pacifist nation to increase its military activities and spending. In 2015, Japan passed a record defense spending bill, largely in response to the Chinese threat.
For its part, the Obama administration insists it’s not blind to the threat China’s activities pose to American interests.
“We always talk about maximizing cooperation to the extent possible,” the senior administration official said. “But we are very clear-eyed and candid about the differences and that there is competition between us. … There is no question that some of China’s activities in the maritime realm are generating significant tension, but there are other areas where developments have been extremely positive.”
The official went on to say that using a “slogan” to describe a complicated relationship is unhelpful, pointing to progress on a climate change pact and global health programs.
Several leading experts have called for precisely that kind of nuanced approach to the world’s most populous country.
“My view is that it’s unhelpful to describe a very complex relationship in a simple phrase, regardless of whether it is positive or negative,” said Bonnie Glaser, the director of the China Power Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.
Michael O’Hanlon, an influential security policy expert at the Brookings Institution, said that focusing solely on the positive or the negative aspects of the relationship isn’t good policy.
“To oversimplify in either direction is not only analytically inaccurate, but consequential for the tone and substance of the relationship,” he said. “The White House really does have it right, I strongly believe.”
A Pentagon spokesman said the U.S. relationship with China focuses on competition and cooperation.
“The US-China relationship is composed of competitive and cooperative elements,” said Navy Cmdr. Gary Ross in an email. “It is only natural that, as the deterrent arm of the United States government, the Defense Department is prepared for the possibility of conflict with any potential aggressor.”
“At the same time, we have worked hard at reducing tensions and increasing transparency with China by implementing confidence building measures in both the maritime and air domains. We also have a long-standing military to military relationship. We will continue to engage with China as appropriate, while being open and clear about our differences.”
The NSC’s directive is unsettling for those who view China’s military buildup as the key driver of the U.S.-China relationship — and a threat to the post-World War II world order.
“This kind of lawyerly nuancing is not what the American people need,” said McGrath, who leads the consulting firm The FerryBridge Group. “They don’t need nationalism or jingoism, they need a restatement of the role the U.S. plays in the proper function, security and prosperity of the world. To actually contend in great power competition, you have to identify for the American people what is the problem. The problem with this administrations’ insistence in avoiding terms that the American people understand is it lacks clarity.
“What this means is we will spend at least the next 90 days with an administration that’s just trying to tread water.” source
China
AXIS ALLIANCE: Iran, Russia And China Begin Joint Military Exercise ‘Operation Maritime Security Belt 2025’ In Preparation For The Coming World War
Russia, China and Iran come together for naval drills in ‘Operation Maritime Security Belt 2025’ as Axis alliance continues to grow and gain power
Five years ago, on January 1 2020, our very first article of that incredible year was about the first-ever joint military alliance between Russia, China and Iran, that’s how 2020 started. The operation was called the ‘Marine Security Belt’. Yesterday, Russia, China and Iran kicked off ‘Operation Maritime Security Belt 2025’, whose aim is to increase coordination between Russia and China to defend and protect Iran. Today is Day 1,821 of 15 Days To Flatten The Curve, and the needle remains pinned at the top of the end times meter. That’s the memo.
“The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.” Ecclesiastes 1:9,10 (KJB)
As sure as I’m sitting here writing this, and you sitting there reading it, we are headed for WWIII like a bullet, with all the key factors needed for such an event present and accounted for. WWI prepared the land for the Jews, WWII prepared the Jews for the land, and WWIII will prepare them for the time of Jacob’s trouble. Buckle up, Christian, and let’s work to put a few more souls in the seats on Flight #777 while we still can. TO THE FLIGHT!!!
Russia, China and Iran combine military muscle for ‘Operation Maritime Security Belt 2025’
FROM THE JERUSALEM POST: Iran’s navy is taking part in a three-day drill with Russia and China. Iranian media said that the Iranian navy had successfully executed the second day of the joint drill. “The three-day naval drills, codenamed the 2025 Maritime Security Belt, kicked off Monday in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Oman,” the report said.
“Rear Admiral Mostafa Tajeddini, deputy operations commander of the Iranian Navy, said on Tuesday that aerial photography exercises and tactical formations were successfully conducted during the joint maritime drill,” IRNA added.
Iran says that its navy is “committed to establishing security both regionally and globally, adding that the Navy will not allow any threats or incursions into the nation’s maritime borders.” Iran doesn’t have a very large navy. The importance is largely related to coordination with China and Russia.
Meanwhile, Iranian Rear Admiral Shahram Irani slammed Trump in comments on March 11. He claimed that Trump had said that the US was not concerned about joint drills. “He said that the participation of three countries in the military exercise, titled Security Belt 2025, is focused on fostering security, contrasting it with the presence of countries like the United States, which consistently contributed to global instability,” IRNA noted. He also praised the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS, of which Iran is a member.
Russia ties are important. Iran provides Moscow with drones. Iran and Russia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to produce microelectronic components, Iran’s state media said. “Russia’s Ministry of Industry and Trade signed the agreement with the Nano and Micro Technology Development Headquarters, a division of the Iranian Vice Presidency for Science, Technology, and the Knowledge-Based Economy, on Tuesday, the Moscow-based Kommersant newspaper reported.” The report adds that the Zelenograd Nanotechnology Center (ZNTC), “one of Russia’s leading firms in nanotechnology,” will to produce advanced nanolithography equipment, telecommunication multiplexers, and automotive sensors.
The naval drills come as Iran seeks to project power in the region. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said, “Iran is determined to fulfill its obligation to the Iraqi administration in thwarting unlawful actions by the United States.” In addition, the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) said it has “dispatched 500 tons of humanitarian aid to Lebanon, according to Babak Mahmoud, the head of the IRCS Aid and Relief Organization.” This shows Iran shoring up support in Iraq and Lebanon.
Iran also said on March 11 that it has not received a letter from US President Donald Trump, “days after he claimed to have sent such a letter to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei,” IRNA noted. READ MORE
“Finger On Trigger” Iran Warns US Amid “Security Belt-2025” Naval Drills With China, Russia
Iran, China, and Russia have launched their annual Security Belt-2025 naval drills in the Gulf of Oman, reinforcing military ties amid shifting global alliances under US President Donald Trump. The exercises, involving warships, helicopters, and support vessels, are strategically significant as they take place near the vital Strait of Hormuz, through which a quarter of the world’s oil shipments pass. While Trump dismissed concerns over the joint drills, asserting US military superiority, analysts view them as a sign of growing coordination among authoritarian states seeking to counterbalance Washington’s influence. With tensions escalating between the US and Iran—especially as Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign intensifies—Iranian military officials have warned they are fully prepared for any confrontation. The presence of international observers from multiple countries highlights the broader geopolitical impact of these exercises, as Iran, China, and Russia showcase their ability to secure key maritime routes.
Now The End Begins is your front line defense against the rising tide of darkness in the last Days before the Rapture of the Church
- HOW TO DONATE: Click here to view our WayGiver Funding page
When you contribute to this fundraising effort, you are helping us to do what the Lord called us to do. The money you send in goes primarily to the overall daily operations of this site. When people ask for Bibles, we send them out at no charge. When people write in and say how much they would like gospel tracts but cannot afford them, we send them a box at no cost to them for either the tracts or the shipping, no matter where they are in the world. We have a Gospel Billboard program. We are now broadcasting Bible studies, Podcasts and a Sunday Service 5 times a week, thanks to your generous donations. All this is possible because YOU pray for us, YOU support us, and YOU give so we can continue growing.
But whatever you do, don’t do nothing. Time is short and we need your help right now. The Lord has given us an open door with a tremendous ‘course’ for us to fulfill that will create an excellent experience at the Judgement Seat of Christ. Please pray for our efforts, and if the Lord leads you to donate, be as generous as possible. The war is REAL, the battle HOT and the time is SHORT…TO THE FIGHT!!!
“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” Titus 2:13 (KJB)
“Thank you very much!” – Geoffrey, editor-in-chief, NTEB
China
FIGHT TO THE END: China Tells Trump That They Are ‘Ready For War’ With America Whether It Be Over Tariffs, Trade Or Any Other Type Of Battle
China says it is ‘ready for war’ with America as it raises defence spending and imposes retaliatory tariffs on US imports.
The only problem with talking tough is that at some point, somebody will take you up on it, and today Communist China has issued a statement saying they are not afraid of any type of war that President Trump and his administration may wish to engage in. China has the second largest military defense spending budget in the world, second only to America. China also has the world’s largest standing army with just under 3 million soldiers, nearly triple the size of America’s military. Fun fact, 2025 is the Chinese Year of the Snake, and that’s the memo.
“And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.” Revelation 16:12 (KJB)
Donald Trump has burst back into the Oval Office, raring to go and take on the world, and he was settled on a “slash and burn” approach to making it happen. That makes for great headlines, it doesn’t necessarily make for good foreign policy. Putting tariffs on countries like Canada and Mexico is one thing, doing it to China is something else entirely. As we told you yesterday, over in Europe they have begun to prepare for the global conflict that just about everyone concedes as inevitable. Is it? Sure looks that way. Wars and rumours of war are everywhere you look, exactly as your King James Bible tells you it will be in the time of the end. You are here.
China says it is ‘ready for war’ with America
FROM THE TELEGRAPH UK: In a direct threat to Donald Trump, China’s representatives in America said: “If war is what the US wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war or any other type of war, we’re ready to fight till the end.” The US has hit China with 20 per cent tariffs in response to what the White House considers to be Chinese inaction over the flow of fentanyl into America. Beijing has responded by announcing plans to boost defence spending by 7.2 per cent and to hit the US with reciprocal tariffs of 10 to 15 per cent on certain imports from March 10.
The fiery language comes as China’s top legislature met for annual “Two Sessions” meetings in Beijing, where plans to boost defence spending by 7.2 per cent were revealed. The rise in spending is equal to the jump last year and takes the official budget to roughly 1.78 trillion yuan (£190 billion), as China pursues the goal of Xi Jinping, its president, to build a modern military by 2027.
On Wednesday, Li Qiang, China’s premier, vowed there would be “all out efforts” to hit the target in his annual address to the legislature, adding that Beijing “will step up military training and combat readiness so as to firmly safeguard China’s sovereignty, security and development interests”.
The Asian superpower has stoked alarm with increasingly aggressive moves in Asia and the Pacific – including recent live-fire drills off the Australian coast, military exercises close to Taiwan and Vietnam and confrontations with the Philippine coast guard in the South China Sea. Japan, South Korea and India have all criticised the projections of military might.
Earlier this week, it was revealed that China is developing a new nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, which would be larger and more advanced than any vessel in its fleet, in an attempt to rival the US. Although Beijing has the second-largest military budget in the world, however, it remains dwarfed by American spending – even accounting for Mr Trump’s plans to cut the budget by eight per cent over the next five years.
The US military budget for 2025 stands at around $850 billion (£662 billion). Although the Pentagon says China spends more than it publicly declares – up to $450 billion, when items listed in other budgets are included – the official sum still represents less than two per cent of GDP, which is below Sir Keir Starmer’s proposed spend of 2.5 per cent. Analysts have cautioned that despite the strong rhetoric, China is not yet actively gearing up for war. Beijing’s strong language was triggered by the Trump administration’s new tariffs, which also hit Mexico and Canada and came into force on Tuesday. READ MORE
China says it is ‘ready for war’ with America on any level
Donald Trump has admitted his tariffs on major trading partners will cause “a little disturbance” – as China said it was “ready” for “any type of war” with the US. The US president made his comments in an address to Congress, hours after the levies on imports came into effect. The Chinese embassy in the US posted on X: “If war is what the US wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war or any other type of war, we’re ready to fight till the end.”
Now The End Begins is your front line defense against the rising tide of darkness in the last Days before the Rapture of the Church
- HOW TO DONATE: Click here to view our WayGiver Funding page
When you contribute to this fundraising effort, you are helping us to do what the Lord called us to do. The money you send in goes primarily to the overall daily operations of this site. When people ask for Bibles, we send them out at no charge. When people write in and say how much they would like gospel tracts but cannot afford them, we send them a box at no cost to them for either the tracts or the shipping, no matter where they are in the world. We have a Gospel Billboard program. We are now broadcasting Bible studies, Podcasts and a Sunday Service 5 times a week, thanks to your generous donations. All this is possible because YOU pray for us, YOU support us, and YOU give so we can continue growing.
But whatever you do, don’t do nothing. Time is short and we need your help right now. The Lord has given us an open door with a tremendous ‘course’ for us to fulfill that will create an excellent experience at the Judgement Seat of Christ. Please pray for our efforts, and if the Lord leads you to donate, be as generous as possible. The war is REAL, the battle HOT and the time is SHORT…TO THE FIGHT!!!
“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” Titus 2:13 (KJB)
“Thank you very much!” – Geoffrey, editor-in-chief, NTEB
China
Palestinian Terror Groups Travel To Communist China To Sign The ‘Beijing Declaration’ Creating A National Unity Government To Come Against Israel
The Beijing Declaration was signed at the closing ceremony of a reconciliation dialogue among the factions held in China’s capital from July 21-23.
In further proof that we are living in the end times prophesied in your King James Bible, this amazing thing just happened. A meeting was held in Communist China that brought together representatives of 14 Palestinian terror groups to sign something called the Beijing Declaration creating a national unity government in Palestine. There is so much end times stuff happening in this one event that we will talk about it on our Tuesday night Bible study this evening.
“The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.” Acts 4:26 (KJB)
If you’ve ever watched the movie ‘The Godfather’ and saw the scene about the meeting of the 5 crime families, then you know what’s happening here. Communist China has formed this alliance with Palestinian terror groups because all of them seek the destruction of the nation of Israel. At some point Russia will jump into the action as well. Things are moving very quickly now, Christian, as this next giant step on the end times timeline takes place.
Hamas, Fatah, Palestinian factions agree to end divisions, form unity gov’t after China talks
FROM THE JERUSALEM POST: Various Palestinian factions including rivals Hamas and Fatah agreed to end their divisions and form a national unity government during negotiations in China that ended Tuesday, according to Chinese state media.
The Beijing Declaration was signed at the closing ceremony of a reconciliation dialogue among the factions held in China’s capital from July 21-23, state broadcaster CCTV said.
Senior Hamas official Hussam Badran said the most important point of the Beijing Declaration was to form a Palestinian national unity government to manage the affairs of Palestinians. In a statement to their Telegram, Hamas claimed that the Beijing Declaration was a positive step towards achieving Palestinian national unity, thanking the host country China “with its international weight and its firm position in support of the Palestinian cause.”
The statement criticized the US, saying, “The American administration stands against any internal Palestinian national consensus and is completely biased and even partners with the occupation in its crimes against our people.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said his goal is to destroy Hamas, an Iranian-backed terror group, and opposes it having any role in a post-war Gaza administration. Foreign Affairs Minister Israel Katz responded to the deal between the factions in a post to X, stating, “Hamas and Fatah signed an agreement in China for joint control of Gaza after the war.”
“Instead of rejecting terrorism, Mahmoud Abbas embraces the murderers and rapists of Hamas, revealing his true face. In reality, this won’t happen because Hamas’s rule will be crushed, and Abbas will be watching Gaza from afar. Israel’s security will remain solely in Israel’s hands.”
A total of 14 Palestinian factions, including the leaders of Fatah and Hamas, also met with the media, with China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi present, CGTN said in a social media post.
The agreement marks a diplomatic coup for Beijing and its growing influence in the Middle East. Last year, Beijing brokered a breakthrough peace deal between longstanding regional foes Saudi Arabia and Iran. Badran praised China in a statement for its significant effort to host the talks and reach such a declaration. READ MORE
Big Blow To Israel & U.S; Palestinian Factions Unite | Hamas, Fatah Sign ‘Beijing Declaration’
Hamas and Fatah have signed an agreement in Beijing to form a national unity government and govern Gaza post-war. China, hosting the talks, emphasized the importance of a ceasefire and humanitarian aid. This move strengthens China’s role as a mediator in the Middle East following its successful mediation between Iran and Saudi Arabia in 2023.
Now The End Begins is your front line defense against the rising tide of darkness in the last Days before the Rapture of the Church
- HOW TO DONATE: Click here to view our WayGiver Funding page
When you contribute to this fundraising effort, you are helping us to do what the Lord called us to do. The money you send in goes primarily to the overall daily operations of this site. When people ask for Bibles, we send them out at no charge. When people write in and say how much they would like gospel tracts but cannot afford them, we send them a box at no cost to them for either the tracts or the shipping, no matter where they are in the world. We have a Gospel Billboard program. We are now broadcasting Bible studies, Podcasts and a Sunday Service 5 times a week, thanks to your generous donations. All this is possible because YOU pray for us, YOU support us, and YOU give so we can continue growing.
But whatever you do, don’t do nothing. Time is short and we need your help right now. The Lord has given us an open door with a tremendous ‘course’ for us to fulfill that will create an excellent experience at the Judgement Seat of Christ. Please pray for our efforts, and if the Lord leads you to donate, be as generous as possible. The war is REAL, the battle HOT and the time is SHORT…TO THE FIGHT!!!
“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” Titus 2:13 (KJB)
“Thank you very much!” – Geoffrey, editor-in-chief, NTEB
THE BIG STORY
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END TIMES
CHRISLAM
FALSE TEACHERS
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THE THIRD TEMPLE
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