The tougher UN sanctions against North Korea that China agreed to on Monday will cause real economic pain for its recalcitrant ally, but without risking regime collapse or significantly damaging the interests of large Chinese companies involved in cross-border trade. 

Zhao Tong, a regional expert at the Carnegie-Tsinghua Center in Beijing, said the Chinese government’s objective was to block the most extreme measures advocated by US President Donald Trump while also communicating its anger to Kim Jong Un about his regime’s sixth nuclear test, conducted on September 3. 

“China prevented a complete cut-off of oil and fuel supplies to North Korea, which could have had deadly economic consequences for the regime,” Mr Zhao said. “But the sanctions now in place will dramatically reduce North Korea’s foreign exchange earnings and have an irreversible impact on its economy.”