China expected to renege on sanctions against North Korea

International cooperation on sanctions against North Korea is showing signs of a rift as China has become reluctant to push North Korea as it protests the planned deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery in South Korea, analysts said Monday.

A lack of action by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is spurring speculation that China may be refusing to cooperate, angered by the planned deployment of the U.S. missile shield. China has long opposed the THAAD deployment on South Korean soil, claiming that its radar system could be used to penetrate Chinese territory.

The North Korean military has increased military drills that require the consumption of large amounts of aviation fuel, indicating that China, its main provider of oil, may be supplying the North with fuel for military use despite the embargo on it.

Analysts said that following the THAAD decision, sanctions on North Korea may not gain any momentum due to China’s non-cooperation.

[The Korea Times]

This entry was posted in China by Grant Montgomery.