Trump Calls China's Oil Cooperation with North Korea 'Disappointing'

Donald Trump, the President of the United States, wrote on Twitter on Thursday that it is very 'disappointing' that China allows crude oil to reach North Korea. He added that such actions could halt the achievement of a friendly solution to the Pyongyang nuclear crisis. In his message, Mr. Trump wrote: 'The criminal caught – it is very disappointing that China allows crude oil to reach North Korea. If this continues, we will never reach a friendly solution to the North Korean problem.' Beijing responded on Thursday to a report from a South Korean newspaper that reported on China's 'illegal' cooperation with North Korean tankers, stating that none of the United Nations Security Council resolutions prohibit the sale of crude oil by Chinese tankers to North Korea. Since taking office, the Trump administration has intensified international efforts to increase global sanctions against North Korea due to its missile tests armed with nuclear warheads. Washington believes that full cooperation from China, which is North Korea's neighbor and main trading partner, is essential to resolve this crisis. However, the U.S. has warned North Korea that all actions, including military action, are on the table. The United Nations Security Council, in its latest resolution against North Korea, which was unanimously adopted last week, has increased pressure on the country and further restricted North Korea's access to refined oil and crude oil. According to the latest Security Council resolution, refined oil exports to North Korea must be reduced by 90% and capped at 500,000 barrels per year. This resolution, which was primarily authored by the U.S., also set North Korea's crude oil access limit to four million barrels per year and requests that the Security Council increase these restrictions if North Korea continues intercontinental ballistic missile tests. The U.S. has also asked the Security Council to blacklist 10 shipping companies for circumventing sanctions and transferring refined oil from ship to ship to North Korea, as well as transferring coal from North Korea. China and Russia have requested a deadline to review this U.S. proposal. In September of this year, the Security Council set a cap of two million barrels per year for refined oil and petroleum products exports to North Korea. Despite U.S. beliefs, South Korea and Japan assert that there are still ways to circumvent sanctions, while China claims it fully implements all Security Council resolutions regarding North Korea. Ren Guoyang, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Defense, responded on Thursday to the question of whether Chinese ships are illegally transferring oil to North Korean ships, stating that China fully implements the United Nations Security Council resolutions and added: 'The situation you are depicting does not exist.' The Chosun Ilbo newspaper in South Korea, citing official government sources, reported that spy satellites have recorded 30 instances of ship-to-ship oil transfers to North Korean vessels since October (the past three months). An official from the U.S. State Department also stated on Wednesday that ship-to-ship oil transfers between China and North Korea are still ongoing. Michael Qiu, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, said on Wednesday that Washington has asked all countries to cut their trade relations with North Korea and added: 'We ask China to stop all economic relations with North Korea, including tourism and oil product transfers, and to expel all North Korean workers from China.'