China strictly implements DPRK-related resolutions

World
Europe

China says it has adhered to the recent sanctions implemented against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), despite accusations from US President Donald Trump on Thursday that China was violating the sanctions by allowing oil into the country.

“Caught RED HANDED – very disappointed that China is allowing oil to go into North Korea (DPRK). There will never be a friendly solution to the North Korea (DPRK) problem if this continues to happen!” Trump wrote in a post on Twitter.

Trump's Twitter screenshot

"I am not aware of what you mentioned," said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying in response to the question that "satellite reconnaissance photos showed that Chinese ships were found trading oil with the DPRK ships at high seas, thus violating the DPRK-related resolutions of the UN Security Council," at a regular press conference on Wednesday.

Hua highlighted that China's relevant position remains unequivocal. "The Chinese government has been comprehensively, accurately, faithfully and strictly implementing the Security Council's DPRK-related resolutions," she added.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying. /Photo from Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China's website

Hua also stressed that if there is solid evidence proving that there is any violation on the Chinese side of the Security Council resolutions, China will surely deal with it in accordance with laws and regulations, and not a single case of violation will be ignored.

The Trump administration has led a drive to step up global sanctions on the DPRK in response to Pyongyang’s efforts to develop nuclear-tipped missiles capable of hitting the United States.

Washington says the full cooperation of China, DPRK’s neighbor and main trading partner, is vital to the success of this effort, while warning that all options are on the table, including military ones, in dealing with the DPRK.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley attends the United Nations Security Council session on imposing new sanctions on the DPRK, in New York, US, December 22, 2017. /Reuters Photo

The UN Security Council last week unanimously imposed new sanctions on the DPRK for a recent intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test, seeking to further limit its access to refined petroleum products and crude oil.

The UN resolution seeks to ban nearly 90 percent of refined petroleum exports to the DPRK by capping them at 500,000 barrels a year.

The US-drafted resolution also caps crude oil supplies to the DPRK at four million barrels a year and commits the Council to further reductions if the DPRK were to conduct another nuclear test or launch another ICBM.

(Top image: US President Donald Trump gives a thumbs-up to reporters as he boards Air Force One for travel to Palm Beach from Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, US, December 22, 2017. /Reuters Photo)