Church of God News

COGwriter

Trade disputes between the USA and EU are about to heat up:

EU Set to Impose Tariffs on $4 Billion in US Goods …

BRUSSELS / WASHINGTON – The European Union is poised to move next week to impose tariffs on $4 billion of U.S. imports in retaliation for U.S. subsidies for plane-maker Boeing, EU diplomats said, teeing up an eleventh-hour showdown with U.S. President Donald Trump.

A majority of EU governments have backed imposing the widely expected tariffs once EU trade ministers meet next Monday, the latest twist in a trans-Atlantic trade saga that has spanned 16 years and four U.S. presidents.

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden is edging closer to victory in the U.S. election, but Republican Trump would remain president until January 20 and has plenty of leeway to increase U.S. tariffs on Europe that were imposed in a parallel case over subsidies for Airbus.

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer last month warned that any EU tariffs would “force a U.S. response” and Trump has threatened to “strike back harder.”

Brussels views its own tariffs, authorized by the World Trade Organization last month, as important leverage in negotiations to end a dispute that began in 2004.

“I would expect the tariffs to be imposed next Tuesday or Wednesday,” an EU diplomat said.

In October 2019, Washington imposed tariffs on Airbus planes and other European products from cheese to olives and single-malt whisky. Combined, the two cases represent the world’s largest ever corporate trade dispute.

Washington argues there is no legal basis for EU tariffs because underlying subsidies to Boeing have been repealed. European officials argue that only the WTO can decide on compliance and that last month’s green light stands.

Both sides accuse the other of failing to obey WTO rulings but are seen as determined to maximize their positions ahead of probable negotiations. 11/06/20 https://www.voanews.com/europe/eu-set-impose-tariffs-4-billion-us-goods-next-week

While some believe a Biden-Harris Administration would be less tough on Europe, not all agree:

China and Europe Won’t Get Any Relief on Trade From Biden

Under U.S. President Donald Trump, Republicans forgot everything they once believed about trade policy. The party of big business and free trade became the party of “America first” and high tariffs. If Joe Biden becomes president, moving forward on trade will mean cooperating with a Republican Party that now looks a lot more like the party of Sen. Robert A. Taft, the post-World-War-II isolationist, than Ronald Reagan.

In some ways, this will make life easier for the new president, whose own Democrats are split on trade. Biden has pledged to avoid any new trade agreements “until we’ve made major investments here at home, in our workers and our communities.”

… a President Biden would do as little as possible on trade. But the world will not stand still. He would inherit a trade war with China, and any moves to ease U.S. tariffs would face significant congressional opposition. A hard line on Beijing is one of the few places where the two parties now agree. Europe would be almost as challenging: Biden is predisposed toward closer trans-Atlantic cooperation, but Republicans are likely to criticize any efforts to remove Trump’s tariffs on the European Union’s exports or revive the World Trade Organization. https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/11/06/biden-china-europe-trade-war-tariffs-protectionism/

It should be mentioned that a Biden-Harris Administration would be less likely to make as many negative public statements about trade with Europe than the Trump Administration has been inclined to do.

Threats of tariffs and sanctions by the USA are getting the Europeans to work to try to develop trade in many nations around the world.

Notice some comments in my book, Donald Trump and America’s Apocalypse:

Donald Trump’s foreign policy statements have unsettled many—in the U.S.A. as well as foreign nations. He seems like he will be more unpredictable than Richard Nixon.

There is also something referred to as the “law of unintended consequences.” There are consequences for the U.S.A., Europe, and elsewhere that have and will occur because of Donald Trump’s statements and actions. …

European leaders have been working for years to establish a new reserve currency for the world, partially with the intent to remove the USA dollar from its position. Those in Iran and some of the Arab lands, along with nations such as Brazil and India have discussed plans for the removal of the dominance of the USA in global trade as well. (Thiel B. Donald Trump and America’s Apocalypse. Nazarene Books, 2017)

Europe is not pleased with how the USA wants to deal with trade. But they do hope that working with a Biden-Harris Administration will be easier.

Here is number 8 from my 2019 article 20 items to prophetically watch in 2020:

8. Trade

Not all warfare is militaristic. There is also economic warfare.

This often involves trade.

Notice some warnings from COG writers:

Trade War Looming to Trigger World War III?

Either we start raising high tariff barriers against other countries, starting a TRADE WAR which in time will trigger the nuclear war that will DESTROY US – or, American workers are going to have to MEET the competition of the workers in other countries , by lowering living standards. Obviously American workers are not going to choose to do the latter. And if they don’t – well, THE HANDWRITING IS ON OUR NATIONAL WALL. (Armstrong HW. Trade War Looming to Trigger World War III? Plain Truth, March 1971)

Dangerous Security Changes

Other experts warn that American political leaders — responding to calls for immediate competitive relief from their constituents — may be ignoring another lesson of the Great Depression: that the severe contraction of world trade gave added impetus to imperialist surges in Asia and Europe, specifically Japan and Germany.

Since 1945 Japan has chosen the mercantile road as its path to power, prestige and national restoration. Germany, specifically the Federal Republic of Germany, is heavily dependent upon world trade, exporting a full third of its manufactured goods.

Access to the U.S. market is central to the economies of Japan and the other nations of the Pacific Basin, writes National Review executive editor John McLaughlin, “and hence perhaps to their stability.” If protectionism takes hold, what would happen to Japan and to Western Europe, whose economic heart is in Germany? Protectionism, leading to a full-blown trade war, would likely break the extensive joint defense relationships between the U.S. and its primary World War II foes, now allies for the past 40 years.

Americans should then prepare to witness the emergence of a nuclear — armed Japan as well as a nuclear — armed united Europe with Germany at its core. It’s doubtful whether the American public and its elected representatives have thought out the likely end results of actions now under way.

Former Senate majority leader Howard H. Baker Jr. sounded this warning: “The disastrous Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930 was rushed through Congress… and it took 14 years and a world war to straighten out the mess.” (Hogberg G. Prepare for Trade War! Plain Truth, January 1986)

The Brits will ultimately decide that they are more supportive of the Americans and Canadians. They will be so much more supportive that they will end up in a trading agreement with them (with the Australians and New Zealanders probably also becoming part of that agreement).

The EU will decide that Mexico and the rest of Latin America are in more agreement with it and thus make some type of serious trading agreement with most (or all) of Latin America. The Vatican will also have influence here as Latin America is highly Roman Catholic. (Thiel B. A Combined EU & North American Trade Block Coming? COGwriter.com, March 3, 2008)

The front cover of the January-March 2018 edition of our Bible News Prophecy magazine had “Trade Wars” blazed on the front cover.

There was more talk and action of trade wars in past year or two than we have seen this century.

This is affecting trade and pushing trade away from the USA.

In 2018, I wrote:

The Europeans have been working with Latin America, China, Russia’s Eurasian Union, and other areas of the world to try to set up its dominance of world trade as well as standards for world trade. (19 items to prophetically watch in 2019)

Notice some items from 2019:

‘US Trade Agency Sees Negotiating New WTO Rules to Rein in China as Futile’ (But EU using WTO against the USA)

Trade war? Europe slams ‘exaggerated’ US tariff threat and prepares to retaliate

‘EU and China sign a Mandate of Trade Heaven’

EU’s Juncker essentially verified accuracy of 2008 COGwriter prediction on trade (Mercosur)

‘US: Nord Stream 2 to Boost Russian Influence on EU’ ‘Russia dumps U.S. dollar … chooses euro’

Air pollution causes India to give out millions of gas masks; Heads of India and Germany sign trade agreements

Post-Brexit trade for the UK and USA? Prosperity? Europe to Rise and Fall?

Climate tariffs against the USA because of Nord Stream sanctions? Plus, Turkey warning EU about more Syrian migrants

For a time, Babylon will dominate world trade:

2 And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! 3 For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.” (Revelation 18:2-3).

While ‘Babylon’ will not fully reign in 2020, with the USA pulling out of trade deals and/or wishing to change them, steps are occurring that are pushing Europe to dominate trade (watch Trade Wars: Are COG warnings coming to pass?).

The Bible prophesies that end time Babylon will be a European entity. This European power will have religious ties to the City of Seven Hills–the Church of Rome:

1 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.” (Revelation 17:1-2)

9 Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. … 18 And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.” (Revelation 17:9,18)

The Bible tells of a trading power arising in Europe that is tied to the City of Seven Hills. Europe, the United Nations, and the Vatican have stated that they have agreed on essentially the same future for the world.

Ultimately, this will not go as well for the USA as the Trump Administration hopes (or a Biden-Harris Administration might hope).

Trade will be a factor in what can be called World War III–and this war will be a conflict with Europe (but the ‘shooting’ aspect of this will not happen before 2023; for some details, see When Will the Great Tribulation Begin?).

We continue to see steps that are leading up to it.

Despite the major media focusing on COVID and the presidential election in the USA and barely covering certain matters, events around the world are aligning with properly understood biblical prophecies.

Tweet

This entry was posted on Sunday, November 8th, 2020 at 4:00 pm and is filed under Prophecy.

• ‘EU trade bodies slam US decision to retain tariffs’
• ‘US and China exchange new trade war blows as latest round of tariffs takes effect’
• US increases tariffs on Chinese goods, China says it will take steps
• Donald Trump calls China’s trade actions ‘viscous’ and threatens more tariffs
• Trump links tariff relief for Canada, Mexico to NAFTA talks
• BibleNewsProphecy: January-March 2018: Trade Wars!
• USA to impose tariffs: Mexico, Canada, EU upset: Germany’s Maas wants EU first to replace America first
• Trump: US to Impose Higher Tariffs on Chinese Exports; Threats in South China Sea?
• ‘Trump sees China trade as a war he can win,’ ‘Australia has a lot to lose in the US-China trade war,’ ‘Could Trade War Lead to the Real Thing?,’ and ‘Germany poised to set world’s largest trade surplus’
• NBC: U.S. hits Europe with tariffs in retaliation over Airbus, Boeing case