China's move to ban all coal imports from North Korea, effectively slicing the country's exports by about half, came with a message to the U.S. and its allies: It's time to do a deal.
Authorities in Beijing announced Saturday that China would halt all coal imports from Kim Jong Un's regime from Sunday through the end of the year, in compliance with United Nations Security Council resolutions over its nuclear program. China had previously bought coal under exemptions that allowed trade for "livelihood" purposes.
At the same time, Chinese officials attending a conference in Germany blasted U.S. moves to pressure North Korea with sanctions and military maneuvers, arguing that Kim's regime won't stop pushing for nuclear weapons unless it feels safe. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called for restarting talks after meeting South Korean counterpart Yun Byung-se, saying it's time to "break the negative cycle on the nuclear issue on the peninsula."