China on Saturday imposed a three-week suspension on coal imports from North Korea, in accordance with the latest United Nations (UN) sanctions against the isolated communist state.

"After the adoption of UN Security Council resolution 2321... China is suspending North Korean coal imports," the Chinese government said in a statement.

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The suspension period will start from this Sunday and will end on December 31.

The latest UN sanctions were passed on November 30, following North Korea's September 9 nuclear test. The nuclear test was touted as the most powerful test ever carried out by the reclusive state.        

The latest UN Security Council sanction puts a cap on "coal export," Pyongyang's most valuable export. Coal export makes up for a substantial amount of the country's annual revenue, with China being one of its main export clients.

The apparent aim of the recent UN sanction is to put pressure on North Korea's financial resources and thereby curb the funding of its controversial nuclear program.

The sanction puts a cap on Pyongyang's coal exports next year to 7.5 million tons or just over $400 million, a decline of nearly 62 percent from 2015.

Experts, however, argue that the cap may not have the desired impact, given that cap represents a small fraction of the country's current annual exports to China. According to data available on Chinese customs website, China imported a whopping 1.8 million tons of coal worth $101 million from North Korea in the past month.       

Beijing gave its consent to the latest UN sanctions on North Korea following months of intense negotiations with the United States.

Doubts Existed over China's Sincerity in Implementing Sanctions

Since China is the sole diplomatic ally of North Korea, the international community had doubts about whether Beijing will implement the UN sanctions. In the past, the U.S. and other countries have accused Beijing of being lax in enforcing UN sanctions on the North.

However, China has, so far, been forthcoming in implementing all the sanctions passed by the Security Council this year.

Beijing, however, has voiced concerns over the imminent collapse of Kim Jong-un's government due to pressure imposed by the international community. 

The bilateral relationship between Beijing and Pyongyand has remained cordial despite the latest development, with the North Korean government remaining defiant about carrying out its controversial nuclear program.            

TagsNorth Korea, china, North Korea Coal, China and North Korea, North Korea Sanctions