China accounts for the vast majority of North Korea’s trade. President Trump has accused China of not doing enough to push back North Korea’s nuclear program.
China is imposing new limits on trade with North Korea after the isolated country’s latest nuclear test.
China’s Ministry of Commerce said Saturday it would limit refined petroleum exports starting Oct. 1 and ban the import of North Korean textiles immediately. It would ban exports of liquefied natural gas to the North immediately as well.
China accounts of about 90 percent North Korea’s trade, according to The Associated Press. The BBC estimates the textile ban will cost the North more than $700 million per year.
„Textiles are believed to be the North’s biggest source of foreign revenue following rounds of U. N. sanctions under which Beijing cut off purchases of coal, iron ore, seafood and other goods,“ the AP says.
The new restrictions follow the United Nations Security Council’s agreement on new sanctions on Sept. 11, as NPR’s Richard Gonzales outlined:
The U. N. sanctions were a response to North Korea’s sixth nuclear test, which experts said was its biggest by far, earlier this month.
