China’s military exercises around Taiwan continue to spark fears of a looming war. If war does break out, Taiwan won’t be the only nation hard-hit. “German business fears a further intensification of the conflict between its most important trading partner, China, and Taiwan,” Germany’s Handelsblatt wrote on August 8 (Trumpet translation throughout). According to the Ifo Institute, a trade war with China would cost Germany almost six times as much as Brexit.

China was indignant when United States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan last week. As a consequence, China has been conducting military exercises around Taiwan that could become routine and escalate at any point.

China’s aggression is a wake-up call to an economy that has failed to learn its lesson from Ukraine.

Germany has become highly dependent on autocratic regimes. Even after Russia invaded Ukraine, Germany saw no need to rethink its economic relations with China. This could have dramatic consequences. According to the Ifo Institute, a trade war with China would cost Germany’s largest industry, the automotive industry, around $8.31 billion. Florian Dorn, co-author of the study, advocated a “strategic partnerships and free trade agreements with like-minded nations such as the U.S.”

While Germany has greatly benefited from the U.S. as a partner, it has also allied itself with nations hostile to Western values to achieve economic dominance. So, while Germany may seek closer cooperation with the U.S., it will not be able to save Germany from its economic predicament.

The other alternative Germany has is to ignore China’s and Russia’s crimes and continue trade relations. In the case of Russia, Germany has done much to protect its trading partner by blocking early sanctions and weapons exports. It has also continued to buy Russian gas. Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry explains Germany’s dubious relations with its eastern partner in detail in “Germany’s Secret Deal With Russia—Exposed.” Could we expect Germany to react in a similar way toward China?

Germany’s economy heavily depends on China as a trading partner. What’s more, the Bible reveals a lot about how Germany’s economic relations will develop in the future. Various prophecies confirm that Germany’s cooperation with America’s enemies will continue—eventually leading to a double cross against America.

Addressing the United Stated and Britain as the main descendants of biblical Israel, the Prophet Ezekiel wrote: “I will gather all thy lovers, with whom thou hast taken pleasure … I will even gather them round about against thee …” (Ezekiel 16:37). One of the nations that America trusts the most will become our greatest enemy.

Isaiah 23 details a specific trade alliance that will lead to the downfall of America. (Read Mr. Flurry’s book Isaiah’s End-Time Vision to understand who makes up this alliance.)

As more and more autocratic nations show their true colors, Germany appears to be one of the West’s last remaining allies. But its deep ties to these hostile regimes and Bible prophecy reveal that this is a false hope. God is allowing these catastrophic events to play out because the descendants of Israel and the whole world have to experience the consequences of defying His laws.

To understand this truth, request a free copy of Isaiah’s End-Time Vision.