Europe intends to sell arms to China by this summer and the Senate threatens to stop selling Europe technology. Senators met yesterday with President Bush and confirmed this likely scenario.

Yesterday's Wall Street Journal (subscription required) carried a sombre warning from historian Francis Fukiyama detailing why we need to watch China's growing ability to assert its will in Asia. "The United States in recent months has been preoccupied with the Middle East and with the near-term crisis posed by North Korea's announcement that it has nuclear weapons. But there are other long-term developments taking place that will change the political landscape of Asia in ways that will ultimately weaken U.S. influence there."

China wants to position itself to be the regional economic and military powerhouse, pushing out all American influence and power. This is unacceptable to Japan, who last week identified China's threat in a revised policy brief that places itself on a direct collision course with its historic rival. Japan cold go nuclear within six months should it choose and if it feels threatened by China and North Korea's increasing nuclear capability. While America is focused on the Middle East and terror these events are developing within the vacuum. Fukiyama concludes, "he exigencies of Iraq and the war on terrorism must not blind us to the fact that China's rise will likely be the biggest geopolitical development of this generation."

Most Americans are oblivious to this developing story. We are slipping back into an insular position and ignoring the growing threat to American economic interests in this part of the world. By the time we awaken to what is happening it will be too late. For more background on this story read this in a recent issue of World News and Prophecy.