Several news outlets have reported that China activated a large contingent of their Dong Feng (DF-26) ballistic missiles after a US navy ship traveled within 12 nautical miles of the Parcel Islands “to challenge excessive maritime claims and preserve access to the waterways as governed by international law,” according to a US Pacific Fleet Spokesman. The Dong Feng missiles are known as “ship killers” due to their high speed and powerful warhead that create enough kinetic energy to cripple or outright destroy a supercarrier with a single hit. The activation took place using truck mounted missile launchers to station the missiles in China's more remote plateau and desert areas making the missile launches harder to detect. “A mobile missile launch from deep in the country’s interior is more difficult to intercept,” said an expert quoted by the daily Chinese newspaper, Global Times, who stated that the DF-26 has a range of 2700 miles, more than enough to cover the entire South China Sea.
The Disputed Islands
The parcel Islands are part of a number of disputed islands in the South China Sea that China has claimed as its territory. In the 1990s, China laid claim to all of the Parcel Islands using a straight baseline around the entire archipelago, which it has labeled the Xisha Islands. The boundary is not recognized by international maritime law, while Vietnam and Taiwan have also laid claim to the islands. Recently the USS McCampbell (DDG-85) passed within 12 miles of the disputed islands. According to China's Foreign Ministry Spokesman, Lu Kang, “the Chinese side immediately sent military vessel and aircraft” encouraging “the ship to leave.” This incident follows closely on the heels of a report published by The National Interest – an American bimonthly international affairs magazine – that identified Chinese Admiral Lou Yuan as giving a speech in which he recommended sinking two US aircraft carriers to resolve the ongoing territorial dispute. This would kill 10,000 American sailors. “What the United States fears the most is taking casualties,” said Lou. “We’ll see how frightened America is.” This is a similar situation to pressing international concerns over the Spratly Islands that we have also reported to you.
Relebvant Bible Passages
An even more pressing concern is the way in which these events parallel the political signs associated with the end times and those which are said to precede Christ’s Second Coming (Matthew 24:6-7; Mark 13:7-8; Luke 21:10). It is alarmingly similar that as the Chinese navy seemingly prepares for military conflict, these “wars and rumors of war” continue to circulate as the tenuous condition escalates. While the exact role of China in Bible prophecy is uncertain, many prophecy teachers point out that China is one of the few nations on the earth that could muster the army of 200 Million troops mentioned in Revelation 9:16.