As my colleague reported to you yesterday, President Trump blasted the Chinese government for allowing a transfer of oil from one tanker to another, with a final destination of North Korea, an act which is prohibited under UN sanctions.
In a tweet, the US president stated: Caught RED HANDED - very disappointed that China is allowing oil to go into North Korea. <a href="http://thegoldwater.com/news/14819-President-Trump-BLASTS-China-for-Selling-Oil-to-North-Korea-as-the-Petro-Yuan-Threat-Rises"> There will never be a friendly solution to the North Korea problem if this continues to happen!</a>
South Korea has joined into events, by seizing the Chinese ship, registered in Hong Kong, it claims secretly transferred 600 tonnes of refined oil to a North Korean ship.
The ship, called the Lighthouse Winmore, entered Yeosu port in South Korea on the 11th of October to load up with refined oil and then left for Taiwan four days later.
However, instead of going to Taiwan, it stopped in the middle of the ocean and transferred the oil to a North Korean ship and three other vessels in international waters on 19 October, as could be seen in US satellite images.
The UN Security Council resolution bans ship-to-ship transfers of any goods destined for Pyongyang, the North Korean capital.
The Chinese government has in the meantime stated that the accusations against it were "not consistent with the facts.”
Foreign ministry spokesperson, Mr Hua Chunying claimed: "China has never allowed Chinese enterprises nor individuals to violate UN Security Council resolutions imposed on the DPRK."
If the South Korean media is correct, then US satellites have witnessed Chinese ships transferring oil to North Korean vessels in a similar manner on the West Sea around 30 times since October.
Although it cannot be proved that the Chinese authorities knew about all oil transfers, unless they crack down on this kind of smuggling, North Korea will continue to receive its much-needed oil.
Source:
https://news.sky.com/story/south-korea-seizes-hong-kong-ship-over-north-korea-oil-transfer-11187959
Military blockade.