ASSIST News Service (ANS) - PO Box 2126, Garden Grove, CA 92842-2126 USA
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Monday, August 30, 2004

CHINA SETS OUT TO MAKE AN IMPRESSION ON THE WORLD BEFORE 2008 OLYMPICS IN BEIJING
American In China Says That Country May Have as Much Economic and Political Clout as the United States and Europe by 2015

By Michael Ireland, Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

CHINA  (ANS) -- China finished third in the Athens 2004 Olympics with 63 medals, behind the United States and Russia. According to an American working in China, this is just the beginning of China's attempt to "make a good impression" on the world in preparation for the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

"What does this all mean?" he asks.

"Any of you who have watched the Olympics in the last couple weeks have seen China in center stage. For the first few days China was the leader in gold medals, and it looked like it would finish in a strong second place. China wants to make a good impression on the world in 2004, and wants to make a better impression in 2008. It has sent many young athletes to Athens this year so that in 2008 they will be veterans with a strong feel for international competition. Many of the venues here are well toward completion. There is a joke in Beijing this summer that China is already better prepared for the 2008 Olympics than Athens was for the 2004 games!" says an American working in China, whose name has been withheld at his request.

"It means that China is presenting itself to the world. It is certainly making a strong effort to impress the financial world. Developed areas like the U.S. and western Europe tend to see their GNPs grow at about 2-3 percent per year. China has seen 7-9 percent annual GNP growth for some time. There are indications this will slow down soon, much like the American economy slowed down after the 'Roaring 90’s'. But make no mistake, China is in economic growth mode for the long haul. With manufacturing booming, China cannot find enough oil and electricity to meet its needs. Iron mines in northern Minnesota towns like Eveleth and Virginia have reopened after being quiet for years; their steel is going to supply manufacturers in China. There are hot spots in China that are highly coveted by global developers. The government, the rapidly growing middle class, and many of the poor have greatly benefited in the last few years. All expect this growth to continue into the future."

China is becoming increasingly active in the global political arena, the American writer said.

"It is an ally of the U.S. in dealing with the nuclear issue in North Korea. China’s strong ties with its eastern neighbor may enable it to be the broker of peace for the region. Political analysts are increasingly commenting that Chinese negotiators are far more sophisticated and astute than in years past.

"I don’t want to paint an overly optimistic picture. There is plenty of bad news to go along with the good. But the bottom line is that China is increasingly becoming a major global player. Many expect that by 2015 China may have political and economic clout second only to the U.S. and the European Union."

The American writer said while China has been presenting itself to the world, the church has been presenting itself to China.

"There is no way to get accurate numbers, but it is estimated that 6-10 percent of Chinese claim to be followers of Jesus Christ. Most of them are part of churches outside the government system, so for them to profess faith is a very strong statement. There aren’t nearly as many 'cultural Christians' in China as there are in the States."

With such rapid growth, the government has become acutely aware of the church, he said.

"In the past 12 months officials at all levels have been discussing the expansion of the church, and it has resulted in a significant number of crackdowns. We hear two kinds of reports about Christianity in China. The first kind talks about arrests and infiltrations. The second kind talks about open doors and people coming to faith. It feels strange to see such glaringly diverse reports side-by-side. The reality underneath is that God is powerfully at work here, and Satan is also powerfully at work."

What does this mean for Americans?

"When America was being founded 3-400 years ago, God certainly foresaw that it would be the most significant economic, political and military presence in the world in the late 20th Century. It is possible that He directed multitudes of godly believers to settle in this new land, so that its coming global influence could be used for the good of the Kingdom. He sent two Great Awakenings at the time of America’s founding to establish the dominance of His Word. Today a huge percentage of those who serve Christ outside their homeland are Americans. It is conceivable that God did a mighty work at the founding of the U.S. so that it could be His vessel at the time of its greatest prosperity."

America was for all purposes a new country, started from scratch, the writer said.

"But could such a thing happen in an already developed country? 100 years ago there were only a handful of Christians in South Korea. The labors of faithful believers brought in a great harvest, and today 30 percent of South Koreans are Christian. They are not a majority in the country. But the Christian and moral base is strong enough that the very tone of the country has been transformed. It has had incredible economic, medical and educational advances. It has also become a center for global intercession. South Korea is second only to the U.S. in the number of believers who serve Christ outside their home country.

Could something like this happen in China? Today we can only speculate, he says.

"What we do know is that the government is gradually moving towards tolerance and openness. We also know that the church here is strongly evangelical, biblical and devout. It has a strong passion to reach its own ethnic minorities such as the Uyghurs and Tibetans, and to reach out to surrounding Muslim countries as well.

"It is possible if the western church makes a strong investment in China today, it could pay huge dividends in decades to come. China could conceivably become a global center for world evangelism and discipleship. It is true that God passionately loves all people, and taking ownership on any country or ethnic group puts a smile on His face. However, China may be a strategic location that can impact the world for Christ in years to come."

Finally, he writes, when you remember China, please pray for two things.

"First, pray that the mighty revival which has been stirring the church here for decades would continue. Second, pray that the government would come to understand that the church is not a threat, but an asset to society."
** Michael Ireland is an international British freelance journalist. A former reporter with a London newspaper, Michael is the Chief Correspondent for ASSIST News Service of Garden Grove, CA. Michael immigrated to the United States in 1982 and became a US citizen in Sept., 1995. He is married with two children. Michael has also been a frequent contributor to UCB Europe, a British Christian radio station.
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