China to begin UN sanctions

Beijing’s way of getting Pyongyang back to talks: experts

China will begin enforcing the latest UN sanctions against North Korea on Tuesday, a move which shows Beijing’s firm commitment to getting Pyongyang back to constructive talks and peacefully addressing the regional crisis, Chinese experts said.

China’s Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs on Monday jointly released a notice, declaring that China would impose an import ban on coal, iron, iron ore, lead, lead ore and seafood from North Korea as stated in UN Resolution 2371 which was unanimously adopted by the UN Security Council on August 5.

The notice said the import ban does not apply to foreign goods not originally from North Korea but transferred through Pyongyang’s Rason Port. Those source countries shall notify such shipments in advance to the committee as stated in Resolution 1718 in 2006.

UN Resolution 2371 is expected to reduce North Korean revenue by approximately $ 1 billion, the UN website said.

The notice, which comes amid escalating tensions between Washington and Pyongyang, again shows China’s determination to use the sanctions as a tool to bring Pyongyang back to constructive talks and to avoid accidents which could jeopardize regional stability, Zhang Huizhi, a professor at the Northeast Asian Studies College of Jilin University, told the Global Times on Monday.

The chance of a military clash has also risen on the Korean Peninsula amid a threat of a North Korean missile strike on Guam, Zhang said, adding that unlike his predecessor, US President Donald Trump could be rather aggressive in his decisions.

The new sanctions are considered to be the toughest in history as it covers not only the traditional items like coal and iron but also seafood, Lü Chao, a Korea expert at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Monday.

Zhang also highlighted the seafood ban, explaining that since most of the seafood businesses in China are privatelyrun, the ban will force them to turn to other sources of seafood. However, China will fully enforce the ban, showcasing its determination and responsibilities.

Zhang denied this is a direct result of US trade pressure on China, as the trade friction between the two countries involves more than the Korean Peninsula, but is the result of the two countries’ different economic structures.

Even if China pushes for the peaceful denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, it would not be realized unless Washington and Pyongyang restrain their anger toward each other, Lü said.

Reuters reported on Friday that joint US- South Korean military exercises would begin on August 21 as planned.