Seoul: A Chinese company has abruptly
suspended a joint project with a North Korean firm that has
been targeted under UN sanctions, a newspaper on Thursday said.
The suspension comes as the United States has been
mustering international support for strict enforcement of the
sanctions aimed at depriving North Korea of financing and
material for its nuclear weapons programme.
The US and Chinese officials discussed North Korean
issues during high-level talks that ended Tuesday in
Washington. China`s cooperation in enforcing sanctions against
its ally is seen as crucial to increasing pressure on North
Korea to return to nuclear disarmament talks.
Zhongkuang International Investment signed a deal with
North Korea`s Mining Development Trading Corporation, in 2006,
to develop a bronze mine in the North and commissioned NHI
Shenyang Mining Machinery, another Chinese company, to build
facilities for the mine, Chosun Ilbo newspaper said.
The investment company, however, sent a letter to NHI
earlier this month demanding it stop construction of the
facilities, the newspaper reported, citing Chinese steel
industry officials it did not identify.
NHI had hurried construction so that production could
start in September after Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping
pledged full support for the development of the mine during
his trip to Pyongyang in June last year, the newspaper said,
citing an unidentified industry official.
Bureau Report
