China asks US to 'withdraw' N Korean sanctions

Beijing [China], Feb 25 (ANI): China on Saturday asked the United States to "withdraw" the sanctions imposed on North Korea.

Calling the move as "long-arm jurisdiction", China demanded the US to also revoke the sanctions levied against Chinese companies and individuals.

"China is strongly opposed to the United States' long-arm jurisdiction and unilateral sanctions on Chinese entities and individuals based on its domestic laws," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said in a statement.

"China has been fully and completely implementing relevant UN resolutions on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), fulfilling its due responsibilities, and never allowed Chinese people and companies to engage in any activities violating UN resolutions", Geng said, adding that any violations would be dealt with seriously.

Beijing has urged Washington to immediately cease the wrong practice in order to avoid tension and obstacles between the two sides, the Xinhua reported.

The US on Friday slapped new sanctions on North Korea, targeting 56 vessels, shipping companies, and trade businesses, of which Chinese firms and personnel are involved.

It also included a Taiwanese citizen named Tsang Yung Yuan in the list, who has coordinated North Korea coal exports with a Russia-based North Korean broker.

Tsang has a record of sanctions evasion activities, according to the US Treasury Department.

In an advisory, the Treasury Department, the US State Department and the US Coast Guard, have also warned the public of significant sanctions they could face if they help to enable any shipments of goods to and from North Korea.

The advisory has also alerted the industries of North Korea's deceptive shipping practices.

The new sanctions come as the US President Donald Trump's daughter and senior adviser Ivanka is in Pyeongchang in South Korea to attend the closing ceremony of the Winter Games on Sunday.

The US and North Korea have long been engaged in back-and-forth barbs over the latter's threat of a nuclear attack, ever since Trump became the president last year.

Trump threatened to rain "fire and fury" on North Korea and also called North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as a "Little Rocket Man", while North Korea denounced Trump as a "mentally deranged" US dotard. (ANI)