China attacked for 'flagrant violation' of UN sanctions on North Korea - US promise to act
THE US has accused China of making a "flagrant violation" of international sanctions levied at North Korea.
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Washington has announced a reward of $5milion (£3.7million) for any information regarding the breach of these sanctions. The US has claimed China has been making sanctions evasions. US Deputy Assistant Secretary for North Korea Alex Wong said Beijing is actively trying to undo UN sanctions aimed at bringing the North Korean regime to the negotiating table.
The US and its allies are trying to persuade North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons programme.
Mr Wong said China had continued to host at least 20,000 North Korean labourers in violation of UN bans.
He also claimed the US had also detected ships carrying prohibited coal or other sanctioned goods from North Korea to China.
These ships are said to have made 555 separate trips.
Speaking to Washington’s Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank Mr Wong said: “On none of these occasions did the Chinese authorities act to stop these illicit imports, not once."
The US analyst, who develops policy on North Korea, claimed Chinese firms were continuing to do business with UN-sanctioned entities from Pyongyang.
Mr Wong said Beijing “increasingly allows” Chinese companies to trade with Pyongyang.
Much of this trade was said to be in goods prohibited by the UN sanctions.
READ: Kim Jong-un coronavirus fears: North Korea launches strict rules amid ‘worsening’ crisis
The list of prohibited goods including seafood, textiles, iron and steel, industrial machinery, vehicles, sand, and gravel.
Mr Wong told the Washington based think tank: "In no other country do we see this breadth and depth of continuing illicit commercial activity with North Korea.
"The scale of activity puts China in flagrant violation of its obligations.
“They are seeking to revive trade links and revenue transfers to North Korea.
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"This ensures Chinese reach into the North’s economy.”
The US official warned of new US sanctions for entities within China’s jurisdiction that breach UN sanctions.
Mr Wong said: “We have imposed numerous such sanctions designations in the past, and, I want to tell you, more are forthcoming.”