China's imports of North Korean coal run counter to global sanctions, a senior U.S. official said Saturday, adding that a U.S. missile system deployed in South Korea should "motivate" Beijing to pressure Pyongyang over its nuclear program.
North Korea's exports of coal to China provide a lifeline for the country and are also seen by the United States as a crucial area where Beijing has leverage over its neighbor, which has carried out a series of missile and nuclear tests in defiance of international sanctions.
China announced in April that it would ban North Korean coal imports to comply with U.N. sanctions, though it made exemptions for deliveries intended for "livelihood purposes."