Beijing asks for hold on UN ban against traders accused of helping N. Korea evade sanctions

China’s government has asked for a hold on a US request for UN sanctions against ships accused of helping North Korea to evade sanctions while it looks into who would be affected. Beijing needs time to investigate because the request to ban violators from global ports and blacklist trading companies covers a “large number of ships and entities,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang, according to AP. The US requested the sanctions following reports that foreign traders were helping North Korea to violate limits on oil imports and other trade. “We will make our decision in light of the Security Council resolutions’ requirements, and on the basis of fact,” Shuang said on Tuesday.