Update | Beijing vows to ‘fully enforce’ UN sanctions against Pyongyang, despite being ‘friendly neighbour’
Affirmation follows rare, veiled attack on China by North Korean official media over coal import ban
China said yesterday it will fully enforce United Nations sanctions against North Korea despite maintaining Pyongyang as its friendly neighbour, after the North issued a rare attack on its traditional ally in the aftermath of Beijing halting coal imports.
A thinly veiled commentary published by the Korean Central News Agency on Thursday did not mention China by name or the coal ban, but referred to a “neighbouring country” which often claims to be friendly.
“This country, styling itself a big power, is dancing to the tune of the US, while defending its mean behaviour with such excuses that it wasn’t meant to have a negative impact on the living standards of people in the DPRK but to check its nuclear programme,” the state-run news agency said.
It went on to criticise the neighbour for “unhesitatingly taking inhumane steps such as totally blocking foreign trade related to the improvement of people’s living standards”.
The commentary also lambasted the unnamed nation for joining other enemies of North Korea to “bring down its social system”.