Trump says China has turned back N. Korean coal ships, lauds it as 'big step'
Story highlights
- Trump praised China for refusing N. Korean coal this week, saying it was a "big step"
- A spokesman for Chinese Customs said all coal imports were banned from February 18
Washington (CNN)US
President Donald Trump says China has turned a fleet of coal-carrying
cargo ships back to North Korea this week, describing it as a "big step"
towards cracking down on the rogue state.
China banned all imports of coal from North Korea in mid-February, soon after Pyongyang tested a new intermediate-range missile.
Almost
all coal shipments to the Chinese city of Dandong, on the North Korean
border, since February have been turned back, a source with knowledge of
North Korean government operations in Dandong told CNN.
The ban followed strict, new sanctions imposed in November by the United Nations on North Korean coal exports, which China helped to draft and pass.
Coal accounted for a third of all official North Korean exports in 2015, making up a large part of their income. China is by far North Korea's largest trading partner.
North Korea reacted furiously to China's February ban, saying they were "dancing to the tune of the US" and describing the cutting of imports as "inhumane."
Speaking
to reporters Thursday, Chinese Customs spokesman Huang Songping
confirmed that China stopped all North Korean coal imports after
February 18.
Huang said that up
until the cut-off date, China had imported 2.67 million tons of coal
from North Korea, 51.6% less than the same period the previous year.
Trump, Xi call 'very productive'
Trump's
statement comes days after he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping at
Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort. The two then spoke on what the White House
called a "very productive" phone call Tuesday night.
China cuts coal imports from North Korea 01:45
Trump
praised reports of China turning away North Korean coal during a joint
news conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
"We
have a very big problem in North Korea. And, as I said, I really think
that China is going to try very hard, and has already started," Trump
said.
"A lot of the coal boats
have already been turned back -- you saw that yesterday and today --
they've been turned back," he said. "The vast amount of coal that comes
out of North Korea going to China, they've turned back the boats. That's
a big step, and they have many other steps that I know about."
CNN has not independently confirmed reports of China refusing North Korean coal ships.
China proving it follows sanctions
The
new measures are designed to appease international critics who have
argued China doesn't enforce UN sanctions against North Korea, CNN
Beijing Correspondent Matt Rivers said.
"(It)
gives them a clear rebuttal to the Trump administration's argument that
China isn't doing its part," he said. "That could lead to greater
leverage in future negotiations on other issues like trade."
But
although China has shown some willingness to follow the US line, they
would never push sanctions far enough to collapse Kim Jong Un's regime.
"It
fears a united Korea under South Korean leadership, which could lead to
US troops on China's border. A collapse could also lead to a refugee
crisis," Rivers said.
Trump also
signaled a willingness for the US to play a more confrontational role
with North Korea, adding: "So we'll see what happens. It may be
effective, it may not be effective. If it's not effective, we will be
effective, I can promise you that."
Reuters, which first reported that the North Korean ships had turned back
to their home port of Nampo, citing its Thomson Reuters Eikon financial
information and analytics platform, also reported that China is
increasing coal orders from the United States.
No
US coal was shipped to China between late 2014 and 2016, but 400,000
tons had been shipped there from the United States by late February,
Reuters reported.
At Wednesday's news conference, Trump said Xi "wants to do the right thing."
"We
had a very good bonding. I think we had a very good chemistry together.
I think he wants to help us with North Korea," Trump said.
He
also said the United States is willing to strike a trade deal with
friendlier conditions for China if the country plays a role in deterring
North Korea's nuclear program.
"I
said, 'The way you're going to make a good trade deal is to help us
with North Korea. Otherwise we're just going to go it alone,'" Trump
said. "That'll be all right too -- but going it alone means going with
lots of other nations."
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