Trump 'very disappointed' in China over alleged oil supplies to North Korea

• President tweets following Fox News report alleging sanctions breach
• Beijing says it ‘completely and strictly’ enforces UN sanctions

Guardian staff and agencies
Thu 28 Dec ‘17 16.55 GMT

Donald Trump on Thursday said he was “very disappointed that China is allowing oil to go into North Korea” and said such moves would prevent “a friendly solution” to the crisis over Pyongyang’s nuclear program.

China has denied allowing such transfers and said it is “completely and strictly” enforcing United Nations sanctions against North Korea.

“Caught RED HANDED,” the president tweeted, with a characteristic use of capitals. “Very disappointed that China is allowing oil to go into North Korea. There will never be a friendly solution to the North Korea problem if this continues to happen!”

Earlier on Thursday, China said there had been no sanction-breaking oil sales by Chinese ships to North Korea, as described by a South Korea newspaper, Chosun Ilbo, that said Chinese and North Korean vessels had illicitly linked up at sea to get oil to North Korea 30 times since October.

The South Korean report was picked up by Fox News, commonly a source of information linked to Trump’s tweets.

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