United States Coast Guard vessels that have patrolled Middle Eastern waters for years are now operating from the Philippines and Singapore, where they are helping push back against China’s relentless drive for maritime dominance, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.

• The fleets consist of six 154-foot fast-response cutters. Unlike larger ships, they are designed for lightning-fast deployment and operate in support of the United States military’s Pacific Command.

Broader buildup: The deployment comes as the U.S. strengthens its military posture around the South China Sea region.

• America is also upgrading air bases, testing cutting-edge missile systems, and conducting larger and more complex drills with partner nations, including the Philippines.
• In addition, the USS George Washington, the U.S. Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier, is currently patrolling the Philippine Sea.

China undaunted: This American activity is an effort to persuade China that military action in the region would be too costly. But so far the renewed focus is not deterring the Chinese.

• China continues to militarize artificial islands it illegally built in the South China Sea.
• Its ships routinely harass Philippine vessels heading to military outposts or fisheries, even in waters clearly designated by international law as Philippine.
• They use water cannons and other intimidation tactics to force them back.
• China routinely targets foreign commercial ships off Taiwan’s Pacific coast, an area it has no jurisdiction over.

By all indications, China’s determination to assert control over democratic Taiwan and its environs is intensifying.

America’s efforts to push back against China’s illegal actions, uphold international law and keep the seas open to world trade are commendable. But biblical prophecy shows that they will not be enough.

In his 2016 article “China Is Steering the World Toward War,” Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry wrote:

China is claiming the entire South China Sea as its own!

By building artificial islands atop coral reefs in the Spratlys, and installing surface-to-air missile batteries in the Paracels, China is building a new strategic sea gate. After passing through the Strait of Malacca, oil tankers and other ships pass between the Spratly and Paracel Islands on the way through the South China Sea.

Whoever controls these vital sea gates controls one third of the world’s maritime commerce.

Mr. Flurry’s Bible prophecy-based article remains relevant today. To understand more about China’s plans for the South China Sea in the context of prophecy, read it here.