A day after China’s state-run airline closed its last remaining routes to North Korea – a decision the airline’s executives blamed on a sharp decline in business travelers due to restrictive UN Security Council sanctions – Communist Party spokespeople slammed new US sanctions targeting Chinese traders doing business with North Korean businessmen, calling them “wrong” while reminding the US that China has vigorously enforced the UN sanctions.
After announcing that the US would once again designate North Korea a state sponsor of terrorism due to its missile and nuclear tests and its trading in illegal arms with terrorist groups and unsavory governments, President Donald Trump revealed that the Treasury Department would be rolling out new sanctions over the next two weeks, the US’s latest volley in a "maximum pressure campaign" against Kim Jong-Un's regime, AFP reported.
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As had been expected, the US Treasury Department announced on Tuesday that the list of North Korean and Chinese companies targeted by existing US sanctions has been expanded. It was this decision that angered the Chinese.
Only last week, Trump returned to the US from a five-nation tour of Asia with assurances from Chinese President Xi Jinping that China, the North’s primary benefactor which is responsible for 90% of its trade, would do more to economically pressure its restive neighbor.
Treasury sanctions trading, labor, and shipping companies and vesselsto further isolate North Korea and disrupt illicit funding of its unlawful nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Targets include one individual, 13 entities, and 20 vessels: https://t.co/CT9hMx3d6p
— Treasury Department (@USTreasury) November 21, 2017
The Treasury has added to a list of 10 Chinese companies believed to be doing business with the North in violation of international sanctions.
In response, a Chinese spokesman reiterated that China rejects unilateral sanctions against its companies and North Korea, saying these issues should be worked out through the Security Council.
"We consistently oppose any country adopting unilateral sanctions based on its own domestic laws and regulations and the wrong method of exercising long-arm jurisdiction," foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang told a regular news briefing.
The sanctions are a sign that, despite Xi’s assurances, many doubts remain about China’s efforts to contain the North’s nuclear ambitions.
The spokesman called on Washington to provide "any solid evidence" that Chinese companies have violated the UN sanctions, according to AFP.
He added that if any companies or individuals have violated domestic laws, "we will severely deal with that in accordance with our laws and regulations".
While China has backed the Security Council sanctions – which it easily could’ve blocked with a veto – the country has been reluctant to take the more drastic step of cutting off oil supplies through a pipeline to North Korea's lone refinery, fearing that regime collapse could lead to a flood of refugees and chaos on the China-North Korea border.
Still, US authorities believe some Chinese banks and trading firms continue to do business with the North in defiance of UN sanctions, US threats of unilateral action and warnings from the Chinese government.
Since the verbal standoff between Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump began shortly after the latter’s inauguration, China has pressed for dialogue between the two countries, saying this week that "more should be done" to hold talks to resolve the crisis. Specifically, both Beijing and Moscow have pushed for a "dual track approach" which would see the US freeze its military drills in South Korea while North Korea would halt its weapons programs. Ultimately, the Chinese hope the US will remove its THAAD missile defense systems from South Korea, since the Chinese see the purportedly defensive systems as a potential offensive threat.
A Chinese special envoy also wrapped up a four-day trip to the North on Monday, during which the two sides discussed regional concerns but made no direct statements about the nuclear standoff.
US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the sanctions would not only increase Pyongyang's isolation but also expose "its evasive tactics."
"These designations include companies that have engaged in trade with North Korea cumulatively worth hundreds of millions of dollars," Mnuchin said.
"We are also sanctioning the shipping and transportation companies, and their vessels, that facilitate North Korea's trade and its deceptive maneuvers."
In all, the new measures add one individual, 13 trading entities and 20 ships to US sanctions lists.
Any property or assets of the firms involved found to be in areas under US jurisdiction are to be frozen, and Americans are banned from trading with them. Three Chinese firms - Dandong Kehua Economy and Trade, Dandong Xianghe Trading Company and Dandong Hongda Trade - are said to have sold computers, minerals and ore to North Korea. Chinese businessman Sun Sidong and his company Dandong Dongyuan Industrial are accused of exporting vehicles, machinery, radio navigation and "items associated with nuclear reactors.” A woman who answered the phone at the company said it was not doing business with North Korea and suggested that the firm had halted its operations.
"We are not operating," she said.
Another woman at Dandong Kehua Economy and Trade denied knowing about the sanctions.
"We have temporarily suspended (trading)," she said.
In a surprise move, in addition to slapping sanctions on firms and North Korean ships, the Treasury added the Korea South-South Cooperation Corporation to its sanctions list. The firm is alleged to have sent North Korean guest workers to China, Russia, Cambodia and Poland. Foreign workers are a major source of income to the regime. Trump has repeatedly exhorted the US’s allies to expel North Korean guest workers, whose remittances provide a vital source of foreign currency to the regime.
Ironically, the stringent sanctions are being applied even as North Korea has, at least temporarily, ceased its missile tests. The North hasn’t launched a missile test since Sept. 15 – more than two months ago.
Some believe the North’s reticence is due to Chinese pressure. If this is accurate, we imagine Xi’s government might loosen its grip.