China Enforcing N. Korea Coal Ban

China is enforcing its policy against North Korean coal imports seriously, and there have been no violations, the foreign ministry said on Friday after a report that North Korean ships had entered a Chinese port where coal imports are offloaded. Following repeated North Korean missile tests that drew international criticism, China in February banned all imports of coal from its reclusive neighbor, cutting off its most important export product. Reuters reported on April 11 that several North Korean cargo ships, most fully laden, were heading home after China's customs department issued an official order, on April 7, telling trading companies to return their North Korean coal cargoes. But on Friday, the website NKNews.org reported several North Korean ships in and around Tangshan port, in northern China. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said China was "seriously enforcing" the provisions in its announcement, banning North Korean coal imports for the remainder of the year.