April Starts With Heightened International Tensions From China And Russia

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Reports published in early April revealed that China is stepping up its drills near Taiwan while getting antsy about ownership of the Panama Canal, and Germany is preparing for war against Russia. Will this be the month of international chaos, or are these stories a whole bunch of nothing?

China, Taiwan …

China started holding more military exercises around Taiwan in late March, apparently to deter “separatist forces” on the island. However the move also comes after the U.S. promised to deter China’s expansion into Taiwan, particularly as the Taiwanese people are largely against any type of ownership by the Chinese Communist Party, according to Bloomberg.

The drills include “assault on maritime and ground targets” and a “blockade of key areas and sea lanes to test the joint operation capabilities of the troops,” Senior Colonel Shi Yi of China’s People’s Liberation Army stated. While drills by China in the region are not unheard of, the timing is certainly provocative. (MORE NEWS: Immigrants Argue That 2,100,000 Non-Citizens Getting Social Security Numbers Is Major Concern)

… & The Panama Canal

In early March, BlackRock Inc. secured ownership of a number of key ports near the Panama Canal, blocking Chinese-linked influence. The move is seen as a proxy means of the U.S. taking control of the more than 43 ports across 23 countries, including some in “Mexico, the Netherlands, Egypt, Australia, Pakistan, and Panama’s critical ports of Balboa and Cristobal—the two primary gateways to the Panama Canal,” the Gateway Pundit reported.

The full Panama Canal was under the control of the U.S. for nearly 75 years, because our ancestors built the incredible, world-changing feat of engineering. Then the late former President Jimmy Carter gave it to Panama in 1977, starting the process by which China has gradually grabbed more and more control of the essential trade route.

China is now attempting to block the sale of the ports to BlackRock, potentially setting up a “major confrontation” with President Donald Trump, the outlet noted. It is unclear what will happen next, but the situation is a clear reminder of what our leadership is up against. As forces within the U.S. seek to destroy us from within, there are always enemies beyond our shores who wish us harm and cannot be ignored. (RELATED: Trump Aims To Stop China Buying American Farmland)

Germany & Russia

Reports almost exclusively from British (and Chinese Communist Party-linked sources such as the BBC) sources. The BBC reported that Germany is deciding to “leave history in the past and prepare for war.”

The U.S. is still fighting to end the war between Russia and Ukraine, but apparently German officials don’t trust Trump — who was the first president in countless terms to not have a war under his leadership — when it comes to his work toward securing peace, Fox News reported.

Germany’s foreign minister Annaleana Baerbock told the U.S. not to “engage with [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s stalling tactics.” Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi argued against Baerbock, arguing that progress is being made. However, this progress seemed to be more between Russia and China’s closeness than anything else. While Yi stated China supports the goal of “a fair, long-term, binding peace agreement acceptable to all parties involved,” we pray this is the truth. (LEARN MORE: Experts Warn Of China ‘Smokescreen’)

Protecting America’s Future In The World

It can sometimes feel like the rest of the world doesn’t understand modern America anymore. We’re certainly going through a deep series of changes, brought about by so much upheaval in our recent past. With huge issues like these with China, Russia, Taiwan, Panama and more, it can seem overwhelming, exhausting, and paralyzing, but it doesn’t have to be that way.

It seems like every time we at Million Voices speak to lawmakers and their teams, they all tell us the same thing: if just 10 people in their district write them letters about issues that matter to them, they know they have a serious crisis on their hands. A thousand people could message that same lawmaker via email or social media, and it would mean nothing. But hand-written, or even printed and signed letters, will make your politicians take action (if they really care about your vote, that is).

Contacting your representatives should be easy, but there are myriad ways they can ignore your messages. That’s where we come in. 

Yes, Million Voices helps you with voter guides. Yes, we send letters from YOU directly to your elected officials because it’s the only way to guarantee they’ll listen to you. Yes, we publish data, articles, text messages, and help bridge the gap between education and civic action. But what do you want? Tell us today.

We want to make YOU the hero of our American story by giving you the tools you need to make a difference, from your local, state, all the way up to the federal level.

Join us in our mission to advocate for religious freedom, support fair and secure elections, and uphold the values that this great nation was built upon. Tell us what you want from the next four years, and we will fight to make it a reality … again!