Originally appeared at ZeroHedge
China’s Ministry of Commerce said that Beijing will halt imports of coal, iron, iron ore and seafood from North Korea starting on Tuesday, cutting an important economic lifeline for the Pyongyang regime, as it implemented a package of sanctions passed by the United Nations Security Council on August 6.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un salutes during a visit to the Ministry of the People’s Armed Forces Photo: REUTERS/KCNA/Files
China accounts for roughly 90% of North Korean trade but moved earlier in February to suspend North Korea’s coal imports until the end of the year. Coal normally accounts for about half of North Korea’s exports, but despite the coal ban, overall trade between the two countries remained healthy according to WaPo.
Last month China announced that imports from North Korea fell to $880 million in the six months that ended in June, down 13% from a year earlier. Notably, China’s coal imports from North Korea dropped precipitously, with only 2.7 million tons being shipped in the first half of 2017, down 75 percent from 2016. But a 29 percent spike in Chinese exports to North Korea — North Korea bought $1.67 billion worth of Chinese products in the first six months of the year — helped push total trade between the two countries up 10 percent between January and June, compared with the same period last year.
While the latest move to halt imports of iron, iron ore, lead and lead ore, and seafood products will put significantly more pressure on Pyongyang, it is unlikely to be enough to convince Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear program, which it sees as essential to its own survival, experts say.
The announcement comes after days of increasingly bellicose rhetoric between President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, which however appears to have moderated somewhat in the past 48 hours when contrary to some expectations, there were no escalations – and no missile or nuclear tests by North Korea – over the weekend. Last weekend, the UN Security Council approved tough sanctions against Pyongyang with analysts estimating that the action could cost North Korea US$1 billion in foreign revenue a year. The sanctions were in response to North Korea’s two intercontinental ballistic missile tests last month, which Kim boasted could now strike any part of the United States.
Indicating China’s reluctance to implement the sanctions, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a regional forum last week that his country would pay a price for implementing the sanctions, given China’s traditional economic ties with North Korea.
On Monday Beijing also warned the Trump administration not to split the international coalition over North Korea by provoking a trade war between China and the United States. The warning comes as President Trump is expected to sign an executive memorandum Monday afternoon instructing his top trade negotiator to launch an investigation into Chinese intellectual property violations, a move that could eventually result in severe trade penalties. In China, these proposed measures were seen as an attempt to put pressure on Beijing to act more strongly against North Korea, and at the same time an attempt to shift the blame for the world’s failure to rein in Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programs onto China alone.
China betray own neighbor just to please americans. THis is also warning to Russia, that China CAN’T be reliable partner. As China betray N.K the same China can to with Russia
China is not betraying N. Korea, after all China stated that if N. Korea is attacked in a preemptive mode, they will defend it. So they bought less N. Korean raw materials, but sold them Chinese products. If N. Korea cannot pay for the Chinese products because of the sanctions, do you think China cares much about a temporary breakdown of status quo? China knows of US intent to isolate her economically and militarily in the Pacific rim, they are in no mood to please an ever contentious adversary. You have to conclude that political statements are one of the means of carrying out a specific policy.
Jesus, look at this “freedom fighters” Joey and DirSebo – according to them that’s Russia and China to blame for the mess that world has become :) Are those guys are comedian or do they seriously hope that someone buys their BS?
It’s not Russia nor China fault. But, why does China want NK as ally if China doesn’t support NK and help NK to protect themselfs ? Better let North Koreans with USA. Like that North Korean don’t loose them time with fake allies.
There are a lot of misdirected minds that do not have a truthful foundation.
I agree absolutely that China clearly stated that it will intervene on behalf of Koreans in case of USA’s KoreanWar Vol.2 But above zio trolls forget to mention that China and Russia are strongly opposing NK throwing nuclear weapons around itself including USA. China and Russia even oppose NK having nuclear weapons. Any country not in UN’s cequrity council for that matter. NW is already spread out – India, Pakistan, Israel to name a few. So China is sending clear message to de escalate to NK. Thing is that situation requires solution. War is one solution – can quickly escalate into global war if China to take NK’s side (US preventive strike). Another solution is diplomatic (one that is beneficial for himan beings) – Koreans should be assured that US will not intervene and US stops seeking to occupy the rest of Korean penincula. Is that even possible at this point? Look, for Koreans it’s extremely simple. US invaded their country in 50s – they fought back and managed to defend a half of it. War never ended for Koreans and uncle Sam never forgot his “unfinished business”/face loss. Now US threatens to strike/invade again – Koreans are determined to defend with every means they have. If war happens than Americans are not expecting to pay much. Japan and South will be devestated for sure. There are intel leaks/rumors that Clinton wanted to start this sh$t – his advisers presented him numbers: US will win. Japan/South Korea will loose 5 to 10 millions (don’t remember exactly but thats the order of numbers) and US mil loose from 50 to 100k troops. It seems that numbers looked unacceptable for Killary’s hubby at that time. Rumor says that Trump is elected to reformat (not reform) USA and gp’s power center is moved away from US. I wondered how? But now I’m starting to see it as a possibility… US is starting to act so that their vassals (however suicidaly loyal they are/were) find it harder and harder to obey. Last story with US’s anti Russia/Iran/NK sanctions is a good illustration. That’s because they (EU) actually obey gp and not USA. It’s just happened that gp’s center was in US for some (relatively short) period of global historical process. It wasn’t stationary before and in fact gp’s influence on this planet is a multihead Hydra :) Another war against NK or Iran will be impossible to justify to the rest of the world – that will be suicidal if one wants to keep US as worlds ploiceman/leader But if one’s task is to reformat US than such crazy moves seem like viable options. Even now US is extremely heated and devided – without substantial trigger even. Imagine what happens if Trump “wins” a war while loosing 10-20k troops at this point? Somehow I don’t have a feeling that Trump will be simply (peacefuly) removed and another “sane” president placed in oval office. There going to be a serious turmoil. But even without such drastic moves like war, Trump is already “winning” the battle for loosing global policeman/dominator place – as was mentioned in Suterday’s Saker interview, US is so busy with internal power struggle that there’s simply no foreign policy since last elections. World is left to deal with all that mess and Sherif is busy fighting his wife in the kitchen :) World will wait a bit and than… What happens than is very interesting. Gp loves to keep moving towards global chipped consentration work camps and humanity would rather choose another way. How many of you know the “Rule of time”?
What does Gp stand for? And multi headed Hydra? Yes, Russia and China do not want N.Korea to develop nuclear weapons and long range ICBMs, however, N. Korea is a useful player for Russia and China on the international chess board. As far as the irrational decisions US neocons are making and and their attempt to limit/minimize Trump’s executive power is indicative of a serious internal war going on at the highest levels. No matter how much the neocons try to marginalize Trump’s power, Trump is still commander in chief of the armed forces, and the armed forces become a crucial asset in any serious power struggle.
Please explain yourself what you mean by the “Rule of Time”.
Multi headed Hydra is just a metaphore – old saying (Hercules miths) about evil that has many “branches”/centers/divisions that are able to operate on their own but fallowing one higher order plan.
GP = Global predictor. Have you ever heard about large body of theoretical work called The conseption of public safety? http://www.conceptualpower.com/en/home/about-cps-in-brief#6 That term originates there. Some people are calling it Satan, others Devil :) Some take it for energetic entity (parasitic in its nature) that feeds from fear, anger and grief that we humans feel. It never “does” anything – everything is done by “human hands”. All those masons, zio, etc, etc are mere instruments – many heads of the Hydra :) World is ruled by images. Ideas that either get or don’t get enough support from us humans. That’s why ideology is much more powerful than weapons. Methodology is even more powerful and this is considered 1st priority. War is only 6th priority in GP’s toolchest. War give fast results but they are list lasting.
Here’s a link to “law of time” video https://youtu.be/-bV7w_YW0Zg?list=PLC6AEABD3E630C2D5
the second commie has arrived :)))
Russia,China is betrayal to humanity long long time ago.All began when communist have taken over in 1917.
Communists tried to conquer the world ideologically, present day Russia and China do not impose any communist ideology on the world. You are living in the past.
your argues but are the same as commies used. you have instead of brain brezhnev LP.
Leftists have their ideology the same way the communists did, I would take Brezhnev over Soros as a person any day.
brezhnev and soros are absolutely differnt persons and ideologies.
North Korea between 2 imperialist countries, both seek to make it servile… over 90% of countries would crack under such pressure.
ou you mean between russia and china?
China is weak. China is a paper tiger. The real tiger of Asia was Japan.
That’s why USA is winning over Russia and China.
Saudi Arabia is killing people in Yemen and USA still supports them. Russia and China say nothing about that in the UN.
israel is killing Palestinians. USA still supports them. Russia and China say nothing about that in the UN.
NK has done nothing. USA has pressure China over speculation.
Some win some loose. There is a reason why some are winning and others are loosing.
If you want me to summarize : USA and their allies can do whatever they want, Russia and China will never say a damn word. But, if China or Russia do a thing or even do nothing, USA pressures them in the UN and the CIA make ground operations.
Dont be surprised if each country is choosing USA over Russia and China. Once every country will be in USA influence sphere, USA will launch an operation against Russia and China.
China will quite rightly just ignore the regime of sanctions. The world is totally exhausted with the Bully Boy USA throwing its weight aound the planet like it’s all part of the Anglo – American – Zionist private fiefdom. Wait until their financial system collapses in ruin as it will do very shortly and leave them to tor in hell where they belong amidst their own growing shambles as their societies disintegrate amidst growing poverty, an utterly distorted wealth structure, imbalanced economies and major immigration crises. Within 20 year the so called West will be a wreck.
https://sputniknews.com/columnists/201708131056424788-real-reasons-trump-rhetoric-north-korea/
Why not give some nukes to NK to finish with USA ? I don’t understand why China and Russia are crying if they do nothing to stop USA surrending them with anti-missiles system.
The 1700s Masonic MIC game is the only game in town. https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/tkelly6785757/episodes/2017-04-25T02_43_05-07_00 F . William Engdahl returns to Our Interesting Times to discuss his heretofore unpublished chapter “A New World Order Built on the Ashes of War.” We talk about the intrigues of the secretive network known as the Round Table and the role it played in fomenting the world wars of the 20th century. Later we talk about his 2009 book Gods of Money: Wall Street and the Death of the American Century. ****
The Masonic/British Empire morphs into the Roundtable and the US banking which Runs things up for WW 1 and WW 2. Bush crime family and the New World Order afterwards.
China does not give Kim weapons that can ensure NK wins vs South Korea. Kim gets just enough threat to be usefull as leverage in the game. Hell….Kim might not even have 1 single nuke. Putin makes sure Syria and Iran have nothing which can ensure either defeat Israhell…. Yet Syria and Iran are always the looming danger to poor Israel.
The old Masonic game of Empire needs war. MIC drives the economic and geostrategic. Russia and China are not pushing back as Empire moves it’s game pieces near them.
Russia and China are not pushing back ??? XD.
Just look a map and look at US anti-missile systems and you will see if they are not pushing back. Just look at a map of USSR and now Russia and tell me if Russia is not pushing back. Man, every former soviet country is going one by one under US influence.
Once NK defeated, US will threaten China and Russia for good. Once Iran defeated, Russia will cry when USA will build there anti-missile systems. Then, USA will help to help Chechens. Then Belarus, ….
But, some people will keep telling that USA is losing. XD.
USA is not losing and will not loose because everyone likes to please USA.
Russia and China are not pushing back ….. Putin let US/NATO walk it’s missile systems right up to Russia’s Borders, The majority of the move under Obama. China let’s US sail Military Ships into its territorial waters, along with Surveillance Aircraft. China even let’s THAAD go into South Korea and does nothing.
As for US win and you dance with Zionist Jews, You can shove it!
You are not serious man.
You have to understand this: Whatever china is saying or doing with regard to North Korea is Pretending. They will never abandon North Korea. Never. See what is happening to Russia, being surrounded where possible. China is taking note.
Real power is not just military or even financial strength but power of ideas–the ability to frame issues and set the agenda. THAAD batteries on the Korean peninsula? No biggie. Trump testing his missiles by shooting them at Syrian innocents? Yawn. But North Korea testing their missiles by shooting them into the sea? Now *that’s* an international crisis. Power still rests overwhelmingly with the US, and Russia + China hardly contest it.
Exactly. Power is power of ideas. But, unless Iran, the so-called “axis of resistance” is very reluctant to use the power of ideas. USA did 9/11 ??? No big deal, nor China nor Russia say that it is a flase flag made by the US government.
So. I don’t see the strategy to defeat the liars and criminals. I only see that the US regime is more and more powerful.
Wise little Chinese, well done. The blame game is back in Washington.
Hmmm… did they up their order for rate earths at the same time?
They halted imports —– what happened to exports?
China is no less an imperial totalitarian bully than the USA, they want the DPRK’s rare earth minerals but don’t want to pay for them, they’ve been trying for years to force Pyongyang to sell the mining rights for a pittance.