The Bible predicts that the preparations for the attack of China upon the Middle East and Israel involve a combination of human and angelic events. In chapters 9 and 16 of Revelation, there are highly symbolic descriptions of angels affecting the area around the Euphrates River in the last days. It is primarily the reference to this river, which ties the two prophecies together and makes them understandable. If we couple these passages with what the Bible says about the armies moving toward the Middle East from out of the north and east at the time of the end, then the prophecy in Revelation 16 becomes relatively simple to interpret.

...

Is it just a coincidence that in our day a nation has arisen in the Far East, which is determined to become a military superpower along with the Russian bloc and the Western Alliance?  The Bible definitely predicts that three large military powers will meet and do battle in and around the small land of Israel.  Russia, the Western Alliance, and China are the three major forces which hold the military balance of power today.  Despite the breakup of the Soviet bloc nations and the easing of the old Cold War tensions, the majority of all international problems in our generation can still be traced to these three powers or their allies vying for resources, political influence, and territory.

...

These developments are happening just in time to fulfill the Biblical prophecies of the last days.  The fact is, despite China’s huge population, without making this military transformation their ability to launch a 200 million-man attack on the Middle East would be nearly impossible.  However, now with their new economic and military muscle built up over the last 20 years, the fulfillment of this prophecy is now truly possible for the first time in history.  We are now seeing all the pieces come into place to prepare for the events of the final seven years of this age before Jesus returns.