CHINA: China-North Korea cross-border trade at minimum level as diplomatic efforts on Pyongyang's nuclear test continues

Cross-border trade activities between the Chinese border city of Dandong and North Korea's town of Sinuiju remained slow on Wednesday (October 25) as efforts on the diplomatic front continued to bring North Korea back to the negotiation table. Chinese companies said big business projects with North Korea have been affected since the country's nuclear test on October 9 as the international community began to formulate sanctions for the isolated country. Businesses doing trade with North Korea are still evident on a smaller scale along the road near the Chinese customs area. Chinese and North Korea trucks are lined up outside the shops, all ready to make the trip across the border bridge. Intense diplomacy last week has left world capitals still unsure as to whether North Korea will conduct a second nuclear test or return to stalled six-country talks on its nuclear programs. News reports had raised hopes that tension was easing after North Korean leader Kim Jong-il was quoted as telling Chinese envoy Tang Jiaxuan that he planned no further tests following the first one on October 9 in defiance of international warnings. But U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, heading home after a whirlwind tour of Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing and Moscow, cast doubt on the reports about Kim, saying Pyongyang was bent on escalating the crisis. Moves on the diplomatic front are also continuing this week as U.N. Secretary General-designate Ban Ki-moon is scheduled to visit China on Friday (October 27) for talks on ending North Korea's nuclear weapons program and accelerating moves by U.N. members to sanction Pyongyang for conducting a nuclear test. Ban, South Korea's Foreign Minister who will take over at the United Nations in January, will also visit Russia, Britain and France in the near future. Ban's trip to China, however, will still be in his capacity as foreign minister, one of the officials said.

ITN Source | October 25, 2006

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