China suspends North Korean coal imports, striking at regime’s financial lifeline

WaPo ^ | 02-18-2017 | Simon Denyer

[NRx]

BEIJING — China will suspend all imports of coal from North Korea until the end of the year, the Commerce Ministry announced Saturday, in a surprise move that would cut off a major financial lifeline for Pyongyang and significantly enhance the effectiveness of U.N. sanctions.

Coal is North Korea’s largest export item, and also China’s greatest point of leverage over the regime.

The ministry said the ban would come into force Sunday and be effective until Dec. 31.

China said the move was designed to implement November’s United Nations Security Council resolution that tightened sanctions against the regime in the wake of its last nuclear test.

But experts said the move also reflected Beijing’s deep frustration with North Korea over its recent missile test and the assassination of Kim Jong Un’s half brother in Malaysia.

Kim Jong Nam had been hosted and protected by China for many years, and his murder, if proved to be conducted on Pyongyang’s orders, would be seen as a direct affront to Beijing, experts said.

[cookcounty]

So, ....American Coal futures are up?

[Panhandle.deporable]

This is absolutely related to Trump working behind the scenes. He told China that if they want him to work with them they had to do something about north korea. Bam. And take note. Trump is the first American president to get China to blink on north korea and he did it in less than a month. I love winning.

[Gay State Conservative]

Uh oh. It looks like N Korea has stuck its finger in China's eye once too often.

The Saudis (and other Arab states) are starting to warm a bit toward Israel and China's starting to warm a bit to the West for the same reason...the Saudis are scared silly of the Iranians and the Chinese are at least a bit concerned about that fat psychopath in NK.China knows that the nuclear fallout that would result if that psychopath started a war would drift over Chinese territory.

[Gay State Conservative]

And neither she nor BillyBob feel the slightest amount of embarrassment when looking at recent events there.

[mbj]

Thank you for reminding us. :-)