China: Cutting Off North Korean Commerce

As the Korean cauldron nears its boiling point, China is escalating trade sanctions against North Korea. On Aug. 14, China's Commerce Ministry announced it will cease imports of North Korean coal, iron ore, lead and seafood. The move signals compliance with the package of sanctions levied against North Korea by the U.N. Security Council on Aug. 5 over the country's nuclear program. Meanwhile, U.S.-Chinese trade relations are currently rocky, as Washington demonstrated a willingness to link trade issues to Chinese cooperation on North Korea. But Beijing has never been convinced the United States won't go back on its word, even if it cooperates to pressure Pyongyang. Indeed, in its first major trade action against China, Washington is expected to launch an investigation into Chinese intellectual property violations....