Updated: China Steps It Up

Updated: Got my hopes up too soon, I see. China says its relations with North Korea remain normal after last week’s nuclear test.

Original: Finally, we are hearing news of China taking an initiative in North Korea’s nuclear issue. This surely is a significant development (from yesterday’s headlines):

China suspended government exchanges with North Korea after Kim Jong-Il’s regime last week tested a nuclear device and fired short-range missiles, Yonhap News said. China has halted plans to send officials to North Korea and won’t accept visits from there either, Yonhap said today, citing unidentified diplomatic sources in Beijing. China’s foreign ministry didn’t respond to a faxed request for comment. South Korean government spokesman Lim Jung Taek said he couldn’t confirm or deny the report.

The move, if confirmed, would be the strongest reaction yet to North Korea’s actions by its biggest ally and trading partner. China accounts for almost three-fourths of North Korea’s foreign trade, and can cut off shipments to the impoverished country of food, fuel and luxury goods. [Bloomberg]

This could be the dagger for North Korea if it’s true. We’ve already mentioned before on this blog the impact China has on the DPRK.