Chinese companies have been violating UN sanctions against trading with North Korea, according to U.S. officials.
Cargo ships have been photographed docking in North Korean ports to take on coal, which has then been brought to Vietnam and Russia or unloaded onto other ships mid-sea, the Wall Street Journal reports.
All cargo ships, six in total, are all either Chinese-owned or operated, and were tracked by the U.S. using satellite technology.
Caught: One of the six Chinese-owned or operated cargo ships seen docked in a North Korean port in this satellite photo
The ships would reportedly turn off their identifying transmitter devices when entering Korean ports and turn then back on as they left, according to the officials that spoke to the WSJ.
The U.S. reported the ships to the UN Security Council, has imposed a number of sanctions against North Korea in response to its nuclear missiles tests, in December.
As of August last year, North Korea is banned for all exports of coal, iron, lead, and seafood.
In September, this was followed up by a ban on joint ventures, textile exports, natural gas condensate and liquid imports, as well as a complete ban on North Korean nationals working in other countries.
The Chinese government has responded to the new allegations, stating that the country is in full compliance with the UN sanctions, and that the companies that own the ships are being investigated.
Breaking the rules: The U.S. has reported the Chinese shipping companies to the UN Security Council as violating sanctions against North Korea
Who to blame: Earlier this week, President Donald Trump claimed Russia is flaunting the UN sanctions and that China has been supporting the U.S.
The news comes just a few days after President Trump lauded China for supporting the U.S. in its attempts to reign in North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un, and claimed that Russia is the nation betraying the UN.
Trump praised China for its efforts to restrict oil and coal supplies to North Korea but said Beijing could do much more to help constrain Pyongyang.
But he said Russia appears to be filling in the gaps left by the Chinese.
‘Russia is not helping us at all with North Korea,’ Trump said during an Oval Office interview with Reuters.
‘What China is helping us with, Russia is denting. In other words, Russia is making up for some of what China is doing.’
The Kremlin later bit back, with Moscow calling the allegation that it is in breach of UN sanctions on North Korea as ‘absolutely groundless’.