This could be a very significant action in conjunction with China's action on banks and north Korean funds. Has China reached the tipping point with north Korea and is it not going to accept the regime's provocative behavior any longer? Is China saying enough is enough? Is this a reaction to the potential "loss" of South Korea. Some say President Park put all her north Korea eggs in China's basket believing China could influence north Korea on the nuclear issue. That it has failed to do so has resulted in the ROK cutting of Kaesong and now seemingly willing to accept deployment of THAAD to the peninsula. It appears that the ROK is going to snub China on THAAD and perhaps that will influence other China-ROK relations.
But with the funding and now energy/coal action it seems that China may be supporting a strategic strangulation strategy. Do they want to go all the way? Does anyone know where Kim Jong Nam is right now? Is China preparing him in the wings for something to follow or is he still hanging out wanting to go to Disneyland?
Also this is an interesting quote. Is it a translation issue? A missprint? A misspeak? Or a freudian slip?
"We all know that the U.S. Security Council is deliberating a new resolution. As a responsible country, we will strictly follow the resolution," Hua said.
(LEAD) Chinese firm ordered to halt coal trade with N. Korea: state media
2016/02/24 18:43
(ATTN: ADDS China's foreign ministry reaction in last 3 paras)
BEIJING, Feb. 24 (Yonhap) -- A Chinese company in the northeastern border city of Dandong has been ordered by China's commerce ministry to halt its coal trade with North Korea starting next month, according to a state-run Chinese newspaper Wednesday.
Citing an unnamed Chinese businessman who operates a coal business with North Korea, the state-run Global Times newspaper said the order appeared to be linked to a measure against North Korea's nuclear test last month.
"A relevant department of the Commerce Ministry and the General Administration of Customs issued the order and, as far as I understand, the Liaoning provincial government received the information," the newspaper quoted the Chinese businessman as saying.
The report, however, did not identify both the businessman and the Chinese company.
Dandong is a border town near North Korea, where more than 70 percent of bilateral trade is conducted.
Regarding the report, China's foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said that she was "not aware of the specific situation."
"We all know that the U.S. Security Council is deliberating a new resolution. As a responsible country, we will strictly follow the resolution," Hua said.
"We all know that the U.S. Security Council is deliberating a new resolution. As a responsible country, we will strictly follow the resolution," Hua said.
In Washington on Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks and made progress in negotiations to adopt a U.N. Security Council resolution imposing sanctions on North Korea for its nuclear and missile tests.
(END)
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