China could soon be blocking the return of North Korean ships in
Chinese ports from returning to their country of origin.
After supporting the
adoption of a sanctions resolution in early March at the United Nations
Security Council, China is getting ready to enforce the new laws at its ports,
Japan's Sankei Shimbun reported Wednesday, local time.
According to unidentified
Chinese trade officials specializing in North Korea-China exchanges, any North
Korean ships already docked at Chinese ports are to be banned from leaving for
home, starting Thursday.
China has made other moves,
including placing embargoes against North Korean ships entering Dandong, a
border city that faces the Yalu River.
Chinese authorities are
also tightening restrictions on
remittances to North Korea, as all existing branches of North Korean banks in
U.N. member states are to be closed within 90 days of the sanctions that passed
on March 2.
Going forward, China is
planning to enforce a comprehensive ban on trade involving North Korean ships,
and according to the Sankei, China is taking the new approach in order to avoid
criticisms from the international community.
South Korea also adopted financial and maritime sanctions
against the North on Wednesday, and U.S. President Barak Obama is scheduled to sign into law
additional North Korea sanctions as early as this weekend, Yonhap reported.
The next round of sanctions
could target third-country businesses, banks and governments that engage in
illicit North Korea trade, according to a source in Washington who spoke to
Yonhap on the condition of anonymity.