However, change is in the air as India and China— the world's two most heavily populated nations—also begin to develop stronger economies. Now they have the money to buy what they need, and they are beginning to do so. "In 2005, China alone used 26 percent of the world's steel, 32 percent of the rice, and 47 percent of the cement" (World Watch Institute, Jan. 11, 2006).
China has 8 percent of the world's fresh water and 22 percent of the world's population. "India's use of oil has doubled since 1992, while China went from near self-sufficiency in the mid-1990s to the world's second largest oil importer in 2004." China and India "both have just started to build what are slated to be two of the largest automobile industries in the world," the report continues.
India and China are on track to demand 100 percent of the world's annual natural resource yield, including food, by the year 2030 (ibid.).
In addition to the rising Chinese and Indian economies, there has been an explosion in the number of civilian nuclear power deals being brokered throughout the world, many involving both China and India. Currently, for example, we see deals being created involving: France and Libya; the United States, Australia and India; Russia and Iran; China and Bangladesh; an attempted deal between the U.S. and Pakistan and, potentially, a deal between China and Myanmar (Global Security Newswire, March 7, 2006).
Although many of these deals are in reaction to growing global concerns about fossil fuels, particularly oil and coal, the spread of nuclear technology will likely put added economic pressure on the oil-producing nations of the Middle East, Africa and South America. Additionally, although civilian nuclear technology is not "easily" converted into military technology, it does place nations who own it one step closer to nuclear weaponry.
Jesus Christ prophesied nearly 2,000 years ago that at the end of the age, time would need to be "cut short" or no flesh would be "saved alive" (Matthew 24:22). The current spread of nuclear power is one more potential tool that mankind can use to destroy itself.
History has shown that when resources are scarce, they go to the highest bidder and the one with the best long-term potential for consumption. China and India show tremendous potential to be among those nations doing the bidding. The Bible foretells of a time when the highways of the Israelite-descended nations will be desolate (Leviticus 26:22), when they will be debtor nations (Deuteronomy 28:44) and their people will be hungry, thirsty, naked and in need of everything (v. 48).
Additionally, near the end of the great tribulation predicted in the pages of the Bible, a 200 million-man army will approach Europe and Jerusalem from the East (Revelation 9:13–21). Few nations could field an army this size, but China is certainly one of them—and China is currently developing the military and civil infrastructure, along with the economy, to drive such an effort.
As the sleeping Asian giants awake, we should be sobered, as we see yet another tool that God can and will use to humble the Israelite-descended nations.
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The above is adapted from one of the many commentaries, discussing vital topics facing our world, available at the www.lcg.org and www.tomorrowsworld.org Web sites.