Chinese Ship Fires Water Cannon at Philippine Vessel

A Chinese Coast Guard vessel maneuvered dangerously close to a Philippine boat inside the Philippine’s exclusive economic zone on August 5 and fired a water cannon at the smaller boat. The incident marks the latest act of Chinese aggression in its quest to conquer the South China Sea.

The Philippine vessel was attempting a delivery of provisions to a unit of Philippine marines stationed on Second Thomas Shoal. This feature lies well within the Philippine’s exclusive economic zone as defined by international law, based on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and reinforced by a 2016 international court ruling. But China rejects international law and claims almost the entire South China Sea as its own, including other sections belonging to the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam.

The Philippine Coast Guard strongly condemns the Chinese Coast Guard’s dangerous maneuvers and illegal use of water cannons against [Philippine Coast Guard] vessels.
—Philippine Coast Guard

The following day, the Philippine’s primary ally, the United States, condemned the Chinese aggression and reaffirmed that America stands by its mutual defense treaty obligations to the Philippines.

The United States reaffirms an armed attack on Philippine public vessels, aircraft and armed forces—including those of its Coast Guard in the South China Sea—would invoke U.S. mutual defense commitments under Article 4 of the 1951 U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty.
—Matthew Miller, U.S. State Department spokesperson

At present, such condemnations and security assurances from the U.S. play a role in deterring a Chinese military takeover of parts of the South China Sea. But as America’s internal division deepens and its will to use its power vanishes, China will grow more determined to assert its will on southeast Asia.

The Trumpet said: For years, the Trumpet has sounded the alarm about China’s intention to assert control over the South China Sea because it is prophesied in the Bible. Isaiah 23 and Deuteronomy 28:52 show that China will be a lead country in a “mart of nations” that has power over global shipping lanes and sea gates. In 2016, Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry explained how this connects to the South China Sea:

Each year, $5.3 trillion of trade passes through the South China Sea. That is roughly one third of the world’s maritime commerce! Since Japan’s defeat in World War ii, America has protected this vital trade route and brought peace to this part of the world. Now the American military is retreating, and other great powers are coming in to fill the vacuum. …

China is intimidating the nations of Southeast Asia into submission to its will. It is forcing these countries to do what it wants.

Learn more: Read “China Is Steering the World Toward War.”