The Crystal Palace, a symbol of British power in the early- to mid-1900s, was the largest glass structure ever built. In 1936, the massive glass edifice was destroyed due to a fire. Now, over 70 years later, the Crystal Palace is in the planning stages of being reconstructed, but not by Britain.

Chinese investment firm Zong Rong Group is planning to fund the project to reconstruct this icon of Britain’s former greatness. The chairman of Zong Rong, Ni Zhaoxing, plans to spend over £500 million (us$810 million) to rebuild the great British landmark. Ni says that he desires to “rebuild the splendid glory of the past.”

“What does it mean when a Chinese billionaire plans to rebuild a central symbol of an empire that did its best to conquer and dominate China?” questions David Davies, writer for MuseumFatigue.org. He goes on to speculate that China may be attempting to display its economic dominance over Western nations, or that China wants to showcase itself on the global scene.

It is a sad day for Great Britain when a foreign nation rebuilds a structure that once showcased the British Empire’s splendor and ingenuity. The Crystal Palace project displays just how powerful and dominant China has become. While many nations are struggling to finance basic infrastructure, China is going into another country to build a nearly $1 billion tourist attraction.

The Trumpet wrote in 2010 that “China’s ascendancy as a world power over recent decades has been a globally celebrated story of success.” China has quickly risen through the ranks of economic turmoil to emerge as one of the top two economies in the world.

Herbert W. Armstrong forewarned of the decline of the British Empire as a result of its disobedience to God. One of the curses mentioned by Mr. Armstrong to befall Britain is the loss of its vital sea gates. Many of these gates are falling into the hands of China. China now relies on those gates to regulate its trade. The financing of the Crystal Palace is like the icing on the cake of the Chinese takeover of British wealth. China doesn’t need to build it, but rebuilding a prominent British icon does make a strong statement.

To understand more about how Britain is losing its many blessings and how China is rising on the world scene, request our free booklet He Was Right.