(Beijing) China has claimed to “strictly” implement UN sanctions resolutions, in response to G7 and European Union countries that have requested Beijing’s “assistance” to prevent North Korea from circumventing UN oil sanctions using Chinese territorial waters.
The letter, addressed to Zhang Jun, Beijing’s envoy to the United Nations, raises concerns about the “continued presence of multiple tankers” using Chinese waters to “facilitate their trade in sanctioned petroleum products” to North Korea.
The letter, seen by AFP on Friday, is signed by the UN ambassadors of Australia, Canada, France, EU, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States.
In response, Beijing said it “strictly implements UN Security Council resolutions and earnestly fulfills its international obligations”.
“China urges relevant parties to fully implement UN Security Council resolutions on the DPRK, especially the provisions on resuming dialogue, strengthening diplomatic efforts and promoting political settlement,” the spokesperson for its UN mission said in a tweet on Monday.
Asked about this letter, during a regular meeting on Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning replied that “China has always respected its international obligations, with regard to the implementation of Security Council resolutions”.
The letter said the presence and movements of the tankers were observed by the United Nations panel of experts monitoring North Korea’s sanctions compliance.
North Korea has been subject to international sanctions since 2006, which were increased three times in 2017.
The measures taken that year unanimously by the Security Council to compel Pyongyang to interrupt its nuclear and ballistic weapons programs notably limit oil imports from North Korea.
Since 2017, the Security Council has been unable to come to a united position.
In May 2022, China and Russia vetoed a resolution imposing new sanctions on Pyongyang, and no Council resolution or statement has been adopted since, despite several missile launches by North Korea, including again on Saturday.
The United States in particular regularly accuses Beijing and Moscow of serving as a “shield” for the North Korean regime and of encouraging new firings by preventing a united response from the Council.