The popular idea in foreign policy circles these days is that China can be pressured into cutting off North Korea. And that will force the Norks to cut a deal.
I've said before that the idea is wishful thinking. No matter how unstable the Norks appears, they're quite useful to China as a proxy for destabilizing any American order. And focusing our threat awareness away from China. And so that special relationship isn't going anywhere. China may rebuke the Norks in public. But they'll keep on backing them in private. As this latest revelation shows.
U.S. spy satellites reportedly captured photos of Chinese ships illegally selling oil to North Korean boats some 30 times since October.
Satellite images released by the U.S. Department of Treasury appeared to show vessels from both countries illegally trading oil in the West Sea, The Chosun Ilbo reported Tuesday, citing South Korean government sources.
While Russia exports some oil to North Korea, China is the main source of oil for the rogue nation, according to Reuters. However, the country exported no oil products to the North during the month of November. It was reportedly the second consecutive month China didn't export diesel or gasoline to North Korea.
Reportedly, would be the key word there. Plausible deniability would be more accurate.
China and the Norks have extensive business connections that are profitable to elites in both countries. And they both need each other for political reasons. So China will go on keeping North Korea afloat. And it can always blame rogue figures. And maybe even use the latest revelations to dispose of some figures who have fallen out of favor by serving them up as scapegoats.
What it won't do is cut the Norks off.