The Group of Seven, European Union, and three other countries are planning to appeal to China for help in stopping North Korea from evading United Nations sanctions through the use of Chinese territorial waters. This request is outlined in a letter, seen by Reuters on Friday, which is addressed to China’s U.N. Ambassador Zhang Jun. The letter, signed by G7 members (the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Britain), as well as Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, and the European Union, includes satellite images that provide evidence of these practices occurring within China’s jurisdiction in 2022 and 2023.
North Korea, or the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), has been under U.N. sanctions since 2006 due to its missile and nuclear programs. These sanctions include a cap on imports of refined petroleum and crude oil, which was imposed in 2017. However, U.N. sanctions monitors have accused North Korea of evading these measures for some time, particularly through illicit imports of refined petroleum and exports of coal. The Security Council has also blacklisted several ships involved in sanctions busting, and the satellite images provided to China demonstrate that some of these ships are using Chinese territorial waters.
The letter urges the Chinese government to do more to prevent these vessels from anchoring or loitering in their waters. It also requests that China inspect the vessels for evidence of illicit oil smuggling, deny them all services, and expel them from their waters as quickly as possible if they are discovered to be anchored in Sansha Bay again. Additionally, the letter asks China to inform companies in the area that providing services to these vessels will not only expose them to sanctions risk but also risk being publicly identified as contributing to sanctions evasion.
China has consistently stated that it abides by U.N. Security Council sanctions resolutions. However, there is ongoing division within the council on how to effectively address the issue of North Korea. While some countries, including Russia and China, believe that more sanctions will not be helpful and advocate for easing measures, other countries, led by the United States, argue for stricter enforcement. In recent years, North Korea has conducted numerous ballistic missile tests, and the United States has expressed concerns that they may conduct another nuclear test. North Korea claims that these tests are a form of self-defense to protect its sovereignty and security from military threats.
In conclusion, the appeal to China for assistance in enforcing U.N. sanctions against North Korea is an ongoing effort by multiple countries to address the issue of sanctions evasion. The letter provides evidence of these practices occurring within China’s jurisdiction, and it urges China to take stronger action in preventing vessels from using its waters for sanctions-busting activities. The goal is to ensure that all parties fully implement the U.N. Security Council resolutions related to North Korea and engage in dialogue and political settlement to resolve the issue.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
