In Brief...World News Review
Beyond Today Magazine
World News and Prophecy: November 2003
Course Content
Some astute observers believe that China's recent space shot has far more symbolic significance than just the first Asian entry into outer space.
Some astute observers believe that China's recent space shot has far more symbolic significance than just the first Asian entry into outer space. If ultimately successful, it's another feather in the Chinese cap, like hosting the Olympics in 2008.
British historian Andrew Roberts says that this space venture is another strong indication of "the dawn of a Chinese century" (The Sunday Telegraph, Oct. 19, 2003). To this historian, "It is high time that we woke up to the threat that an awakened Chinese empire poses for our present [English-speaking] global hegemony."
Napoleon once referred to China as "a sleeping giant" and then predicted, "When she awakes she will shake the world."
Beijing's $100 billion trade surplus with the United States is not the only economic concern about China worrying the Western nations. In the last 10 years the Chinese economy has grown by an annual average of 10 percent (The Times, Oct. 20, 2003). Present growth patterns indicate that it is poised to overtake France in 2004 and Britain in 2005 (The Sunday Times, Oct. 12, 2003).
If by midcentury (as some are predicting) China should replace the United States as the leading global superpower, the world might be "looking forward" to a new dark age of oppression reminiscent of the Third Reich. The 2003 annual report of Amnesty International comments about China's performance: "Serious human rights violations continued and in some respects the situation deteriorated. Tens of thousands of people continue to be arbitrarily detained or imprisoned for peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of expression, association or belief. Torture and ill treatment remain widespread" (The Sunday Telegraph, Oct. 19, 2003). Of course, some China watchers pin their hopes on potential political and cultural reforms.
The U.S. government clearly regards China as both a potential economic and military threat to democratic institutions and our Western way of life. Even as the president was visiting several Asian countries, "Washington's top envoy in Taiwan issued a blunt warning to the island to strengthen its defences, saying failure to do so would soon tip the military balance in favour of rival mainland China" (The Financial Times, Oct. 18, 2003).
Therese Shaheen, chairwoman of the American Institute in Taiwan, specifically said: "We have a serious problem because [China] is building up rapidly missiles across the strait, and doing a lot of other things that don't show peaceful interest" (op. cit.).
John died on March 8, 2014, in Oxford, England, four days after suffering cardiac arrest while returning home from a press event in London. John was 77 and still going strong.
Some of John's work for The Good News appeared under his byline, but much didn't. He wrote more than a thousand articles over the years, but also wrote the Questions and Answers section of the magazine, compiled our Letters From Our Readers, and wrote many of the items in the Current Events and Trends section. He also contributed greatly to a number of our study guides and Bible Study Course lessons. His writing has touched the lives of literally millions of people over the years.
John traveled widely over the years as an accredited journalist, especially in Europe. His knowledge of European and Middle East history added a great deal to his articles on history and Bible prophecy.
In his later years he also pastored congregations in Northern Ireland and East Sussex, and that experience added another dimension to his writing. He and his wife Jan were an effective team in our British Isles office near their home.
John was a humble servant who dedicated his life to sharing the gospel—the good news—of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God to all the world, and his work was known to readers in nearly every country of the world.
