China to announce more sanctions against N. Korea

China on Tuesday said it will announce more sanctions against North Korea to implement in its entirety the latest UN Security Council resolution in response to Pyongyang's nuclear weapons programme.

The warning comes after Beijing suspended coal imports from North Korea last week, Efe news reported.

Commerce Minister Gao Hucheng said at a press conference in Beijing that China is making sincere efforts to comply with its international obligations, but did not provide details about the new measures against Pyongyang.

China cut off one of the few supplies of foreign capital into North Korea, its traditional ally, by banning coal purchases from that country.

The move came into effect on February 19 and will expire on December 31.

The decision follows the UN Security Council's Resolution 2321, which was approved last November, according to a joint statement by the Ministry of Commerce and the country's General Administration of Customs.

In December, despite the UN resolution, Chinese coal imports from North Korea increased.

However, Gao attributed this to a delay in local laws adapting to international rulings.

Gao stressed China's sincerity in fulfilling its international obligations, saying his country will continue to take measures as per its obligations stipulated in the UN Security Council resolution.

--IANS

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