China announced Monday that it will cut off imports of North Korean coal, iron ore and other goods in three weeks under U.N. sanctions imposed over the North's nuclear and missile programs. But Beijing is increasingly frustrated with Pyongyang and supported an Aug. 5 U.N. Security Council ban on importing North Korean coal and other key goods. The Chinese customs agency said it will stop processing imports of North Korean coal, iron and lead ores and fish at midnight on Sept. 5. The latest U.N. sanctions are intended to block North Korean exports worth $1 billion — a significant share of total exports valued at $3 billion last year. In the first half of this year, North Korean imports of Chinese oil, consumer goods and other products rose 36.7% from a year earlier, to $165 million, according to Chinese customs data.

Source: Los Angeles Times August 14, 2017 10:18 UTC