A file picture showing a cross-border bridge between China and North Korea.[Yonhap News Photo]
China said Sunday it will temporarily suspend its coal imports from North Korea in a measure seen as a move to join the international sanctions on the North for its nuclear threats and provocations.
China's Ministry of Commerce and General Administration of Customs announced on its official website that Beijing will impose the coal ban from December 11-31 in accordance with its foreign trade law, implementing Resolution 2321 that was adopted by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
On Saturday, the top nuke negotiators from South Korea and China agreed to faithfully implement the United Nations' resolution to punish North Korea for its fifth nuke test.
According to the announcement, products that have already reached Chinese customs or were sent from North Korea before December 11 will not be subject to the ban.
The UNSC's action, passed unanimously by the 15-member council on November 30, focuses on drying up North Korea's foreign currency earnings, mainly from its coal exports, after Pyongyang detonated its second nuclear device this year on September 9.
The resolution stipulates that UN member countries' combined total imports of North Korean coal products for 2016 cannot exceed some 55 million US dollars or one million tons. The UNSC issues notifications to the members if the sum reaches 75 percent, 90 percent and 95 percent of the limit. If the sum reaches the 95 percent limit, the members are required to suspend coal imports from North Korea.
(Yonhap)
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
