China refuses to accept U.N.’s decision on the South China Sea

CIA Map of Territorial Claims in the South China Sea

China was dealt a blow from the United Nations related to its presence in the South China Sea:

June 4, 2016

SINGAPORE – China said Saturday that it will ignore the decision of an international arbitration panel in the Philippines’ lawsuit against Beijing’s sweeping territorial claims in the South China Sea.

“To put it simply, the arbitration case actually has gone beyond the jurisdiction” of a U.N. arbitration panel, said Rear Adm. Guan Youfei, director of the foreign affairs office of China’s National Defense Ministry.

The Philippines has filed a case in the United Nations under the U.N. Convention on Law of the Sea, questioning China’s territorial claim in the South China Sea. An arbitration panel is expected to rule on the case soon. The Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled last year that it has jurisdiction over the case despiteChina’s rejection.

“Because the territorial and sovereignty disputes have not been subjected to the arbitration, we think the arbitration is illegal,” Guan told reporters on the sidelines of an international security conference here. “Therefore, we do not participate in it nor accept it.”

Guan’s statement is a reiteration of China’s longstanding position that it wants to settle its disputes with various countries on a bilateral basis and that it will not accept international mediation.

Still, it gains significance because of the overtures made by Philippine President-elect Rodrigo Duterte, who said recently that he is open to bilateral negotiations with China. This has given Beijing an opening that it hopes to leverage in the event the panel rules in favor of the Philippines. China also has conflicting claims in the sea with Taiwan, Indonesia, Vietnam and Brunei, who all are looking for U.S. help, much to Beijing’s chagrin.

“The new Philippine leader also said that the Philippines hopes to conduct a dialogue with China,” Guan said. “We hope the Philippines could get back on to the track of dialogue. The door to dialogue is always open.” http://www.foxnews.com/world/2016/06/04/india-japan-say-south-china-sea-peace-will-bring-prosperity.html

The USA believes that China’s intentions in the South China Sea are militaristic:

June 4, 2016

SINGAPORE—

China “could end up erecting a Great Wall of self-isolation” if it continues with provocative militarization of disputed islets in the South China Sea, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Saturday.

Carter told Asian defense ministers, security analysts and scholars attending the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore there is “growing anxiety” about Chinese actions in the strategic waters and elsewhere.

Of particular concern is whether China will conduct dredging on Scarborough Shoal, 200 kilometers west of Subic Bay and also claimed by the Philippines.

Carter said such an action would be “provocative and destabilizing.”

Speaking with reporters later in the day, the U.S. defense secretary said such a move by China would prompt reactions from the United States and others. http://www.voanews.com/content/us-defense-secretary-cautions-china-about-great-wall-of-self-isolation/3361542.html

Many in the region are concerned.

China, however, has apparently decided that the costs for pursuing its agenda in the South China Sea have not risen to the point that it needs to listen to the U.N.

China hopes to make deals with individual nations so that it, and not the U.N. will have the advantage.

Now, I am not taking any sides on the territorial disputes in the South China Sea. It is my limited view that all the nations involved believe that at some point in time in history certain portions of the South China Sea were considered to be part of their territorial waters, and there is likely some truth in that.

Yet, consider that 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).

The main reason to mention all of this about the South China Sea prophetically is to emphasize that the USA has been involved in a ‘pivot’ towards Asia and it hoped the U.N. decision could resolve some of the issues there.

The USA is concerned about China and Russia and that is part of why it has been implementing its so-called ‘Asian pivot’ strategy as advocated by former US Secretary of State, now presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton. This ‘Asian pivot’ strategy has greatly concerned the Europeans who are trying to decide how to live WITH Russia and China, while also trying to figure out how NOT to be subordinate to the USA (see http://www.courcyint.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&Itemid=6&id=65978&full=true&uid=55646&acc=1&cat_id=798851). Europe is considering how to better arm itself, and that will not end well for the USA militarily per Daniel 11:39.

China does not just want territory. It also wants to dethrone the US dollar as the world’s reserve currency. But it also apparently wants to start to send a message that it does not fear the U.N., or the USA for that matter. While that may not be entirely correct, all should realize that China hopes to become strong enough that the USA would not dare to take military steps that could provoke it.

The USA, itself, tends to be focusing on how to deal with China and Russia and the Middle East, which is part of why it will not see what is happening in Europe. 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?).

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

China, Its Biblical Past and Future, Part 1: Genesis and Chinese Characters Where did the Chinese people come from? This article provides information showing that the Chinese peoples must have known about various accounts in the Book of Genesis up until their dispersion after the Tower of Babel. Here is a link to a version of this article in Spanish: ¿Prueban los caracteres chinos la exactitud de la Biblia?
China, Its Biblical Past and Future, Part 2: The Sabbath and Some of God’s Witness in China When did Christianity first come to China? And is there early evidence that they observed the seventh day sabbath?
Islands and Bible Prophecy What’s ahead for islands? What does the Bible prophesy about them?
Asia in Prophecy What is Ahead for Asia? Who are the “Kings of the East”? What will happen to nearly all the Chinese, Russians, Indians, and others of Asia? China in prophecy, where? Who has the 200,000,000 man army related to Armageddon? A YouTube video of interest may be Is China THE Threat to the United States of America?
The Eurasian Union, the Kings of the East, and Bible Prophecy Is there a Eurasian union that will be formed? Is one being formed right now? Are any leaders working on that in the 21st century? Does the Bible teach that there will be a Eurasian union? If some type of Eurasian union is formed, who might it benefit and who will it destroy? A related video would be Is The Eurasian Union Rising?
Korea in Prophecy, Any Witness? Where did the Korean people come from? Does God have a plan for the Koreans? Is Korea mentioned in any prophecies? Will Koreans be among the first in the Kingdom of God? Here is a machine-translated link to that article in Korean: 한국의 언어로 : 한국 예언, 모든 증인에?; here is a link to that article in Mandarin Chinese: 在预言中的韩国：有任何证人吗？
Japan, Its Biblical Past and Future, Part 1: Any Witness? Where did the Japanese people come from? Have they had any witness?
Japan, Its Biblical Past and Future, Part 2: Prophecy Japan in prophecy. What is prophesied for Japan? Will God save the Japanese?
Islands and Bible Prophecy What’s ahead for islands? What does the Bible prophesy about them?
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be Barack Obama and the State of the Apocalypse.
Who is the King of the West? Why is there no Final End-Time King of the West in Bible Prophecy? Is the United States the King of the West? Here is a version in the Spanish language: ¿Quién es el Rey del Occidente? ¿Por qué no hay un Rey del Occidente en la profecía del tiempo del fin?
Hillary Clinton in Prophecy Prophecy, Hillary Clinton? Are there prophecies that Hillary Clinton may fulfill? Are there any prophecies that she has already helped fulfill? Could Hillary Clinton be apocalyptic? Could Hillary Clinton be the final Antichrist? A video of related interest is titled Hillary Clinton and Bible Prophecy.
Donald Trump in Prophecy Prophecy, Donald Trump? Are there prophecies that Donald Trump may fulfill? Are there any prophecies that he has already helped fulfill? Could a Donald Trump presidency be apocalyptic? A related video is titled Could Donald Trump be Apocalyptic?
India, Its Biblical Past and Future: Any Witness? The Bible discusses the origins of those of Indian heritage. This article quotes the Bible and also discusses some of the witness to India throughout history and what is happening in the 21st century (including those in Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka).
India and the Beast of Revelation 13 Do biblical, Catholic, and even Hindu prophecies suggest that many in India will follow, for a while, the Beast and False Prophet/Antichrist? Here is link to a related YouTube video Will People in India Worship the Beast of Revelation 13?
Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2023 or 20xx? There is also a video titled The 6000 Year Plan: Is the end of humanity’s reign almost up? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2016, 2017, or 2018? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede comenzar la Gran Tribulación en 2016 o 2017? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon video: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives. A shorter video is: Can the Great Tribulation Start in 2016?