European "Global Gateway" Preparing to Launch

The European Union’s long-planned alternative to China’s Belt and Road Initiative is about to move ahead (Politico, January 23, 2023). A planning document for the Global Gateway Project proposes 70 different international projects, some of which are set to begin in 2023. “The EU has several projects planned in China’s backyard, such as an energy transition partnership with Indonesia and a digital connectivity project in the Philippines. There are also projects in Russia’s backyard, such as a hydrogen project in Kazakhstan, a transport link in Central Asia, two projects in Mongolia and a hydro-power plant in Tajikistan.” Other proposed projects include a Black Sea digital cable, a fiber-optic cable connecting North Africa to Europe, and a hydroelectric plant in Cameroon. While the EU is planning to deploy $300 billion in public and private funds by 2027, this is far less than the $2.3 trillion China has spent since 2005.

Will the Global Gateway Project truly rival or even replace China’s Belt and Road Initiative? Bible prophecy reveals that a future German-led “beast” power will enable a major global trade effort for a period of time. This European economic powerhouse will cause nations that closely align with it to prosper, trading all types of goods—including the “bodies and souls of men” (Revelation 18:3, 12–13). Whether the Global Gateway Project will serve as any sort of precursor to this coming economic combine remains to be seen. However, the Bible reveals this prophesied trading superpower will be short-lived. To learn more about Europe’s future, be sure to read The Beast of Revelation: Myth, Metaphor or Soon-Coming Reality?