China opposes US unilateral sanctions on DPRK

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The Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday that China opposes unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States against 13 Chinese and the Democratic People's Republic of Korean (DPRK) organizations.

As a permanent member, China is comprehensively implementing resolutions of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang made the comment at a daily news briefing. He reiterated that China opposes unilateral sanctions imposed by any country outside the framework.

The US Treasury unveiled new sanctions against DPRK on Tuesday, one day after President Donald Trump put it back on a list of state sponsors of terrorism.

"These designations include companies that have engaged in trade with North Korea (DPRK) cumulatively worth hundreds of millions of dollars," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement. "We are also sanctioning the shipping and transportation companies, and their vessels, that facilitate North Korea's (DPRK's) trade and its deceptive maneuvers."

US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin speaks during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, DC, June 29, 2017. /AFP Photo

In all, the new measures add one individual, 13 trading entities and 20 ships to US sanctions lists. The sanctions were imposed under a September executive order that opened the way for the US to punish foreign companies dealing with the DPRK. It bars those sanctioned from holding US assets or doing business with Americans.

Treasury sanctioned DPRK's Maritime Administration and its transport ministry, six shipping and trading companies and 20 of their vessels, as part of its effort to stymie its transportation networks. It accused the DPRK of deceptive shipping practices, including ship-to-ship transfers, which is prohibited under UN sanctions.

Also sanctioned was the Korea South-South Cooperation Corporation said to have exported DPRK workers to China, Russia, Cambodia and Poland to generate revenue for the government.

The sanctions included blacklisting three Chinese companies, Dandong Kehua Economy & Trade Co., Dandong Xianghe Trading Co., and Dandong Hongda Trade Co., for alleged business ties to the DPRK, and Chinese businessman Sun Sidong and his company Dandong Dongyuan Industrial said to have exported goods to the country.

On Monday, Trump said the sanctions announcement would be the first in a series of moves over the next two weeks that would reinforce his "maximum pressure campaign" against the DPRK.

Along with targeting sources of weapons technology, the sanctions on Tuesday marked the first time the US sought to directly attack DPRK's everyday consumer trade, said Peter Harrell, a sanctions expert at the Center for a New American Security.

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Source(s): AP ,AFP ,Reuters