China issues order implementing UN sanctions on North Korea

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China's Commerce Ministry on Monday issued an order imposing economic sanctions on Nortth Korea so as to force the reclusive country to curb its nuclear weapons programme.

China's announcement of enforcing a ban on North Korea comes at a time when U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive memorandum on Monday afternoon instructing his top trade negotiator to launch an investigation into Chinese intellectual property violations, a move that could eventually result in severe trade penalties,

The order banning imports of lead concentrates and ore, lead and sea food from North Korea will be effective from Tuesday, as Beijing moved to implement United Nations sanctions announced earlier this month.

The ban will take effect from Tuesday, the Ministry of Commerce announced.

The UN sanctions must be implemented within 30 days after the resolution was approved in a vote on Aug. 6.

China acknowledged that it is Beijing that will sacrifice its own economic interests to enforce economic sanctions on Pyongyang,"If we consider traditional economic relations between China and North Korea, it is China that will have to pay most of the price for implementation of the latest resolution," Russia Today quoted Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi as saying.

Wang said China is prepared to go against its own economic interests "for the sake of supporting international system of nuclear non-proliferation and to maintain peace and stability in the region."

However, both Russia and China has urged all parties involved to resume the six-party talks to resolve the crisis after the tensions escalated with North Korea test-launching two suspected ICBMs in July.

The six-party talks comprising South Korea, Japan, China, the US, Russia, and North Korea ended in 2009 when North Korea walked out and officially notified the International Atomic Energy Agency that it would resume its nuclear program.

Meanwhile,U S Secretary of State Rex Tillerson stated one precondition for direct talks between the US and North Korea, saying that "stopping missile launches" would be "the best signal that North Korea can give us that they are prepared to talk."

Favouring for a diplomatic solution to the crisis, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reiterated "I believe that with a sensible approach from all the players, including the US, South Korea, Japan, we will be able to find a solution that would work for all parties."

North Korea conducted test of an intercontinental ballistic missile on July 3 and July 28 and Kim Jong-un has claimed the "entire US mainland" is now within range of his Hwasong-14 missiles.