Sanctions against North Korea are a test of US-China relations.

(Baonghean.vn) - Despite the economic sanctions recently adopted by the United Nations Security Council against North Korea, experts believe that North Korea will continue its nuclear provocations and tensions will escalate between Beijing and Washington.

Previous UN sanctions have angered North Korea, demonstrating its unwavering nuclear ambitions through a series of missile tests, and analysts believe this will continue.

North Korea's Hwasong-14 ICBM. Photo: AP

Kyle Ferrier, Director of Academic and Research at the US-based Korea Economic Institute (KEI), said: “Given the increased missile testing this year and the retaliatory actions against UN sanctions, it is highly likely that North Korea will conduct a series of short-range missile tests in the coming days or weeks.”

Meanwhile, Jean Lee, an expert from the Wilson Center, commented: “There are concerns that North Korea could retaliate with more defiant actions: missile technology tests, bringing it closer to its goal of attaching a nuclear warhead to an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) – or another nuclear test.” A senior Asia analyst from the Eurasia Consulting Group stated: “Pyongyang has no intention of complying with the will of the international community.”

However, according to expert Jean Lee, the North Korean regime under leader Kim Jong-un has now achieved one of its goals – an ICBM capable of reaching the US mainland – thus opening a door to dialogue. Anthony Rinna, an analyst from the China-Korea research group, argues that "North Korea still needs to be careful not to further provoke the US and its allies."

If implemented appropriately, sanctions could inflict serious economic damage on the isolated nation of North Korea. However, this depends on Asia's largest economy, China.

Sanctions against North Korea have only fueled the country's missile tests. Photo: AP

According to expert Ferrier, Beijing will demonstrate its commitment to enforcing sanctions to maintain good relations with Washington, considering that the Trump administration relies on China to resolve the North Korean issue. However, expert Lee argues: "US officials are certainly pleased that China supports the new sanctions, but the question is whether Beijing will exert pressure on all relevant entities." He also suggests that recent developments in North Korea have increased tensions in Sino-US relations.

Furthermore, an expert from Nanyang Technological University (Singapore) argues that excluding North Korea from its trading partners, including African and Southeast Asian economies, would cost Pyongyang "hundreds of millions of dollars," thus harming the Kim Jong-un regime.

Lan Ha

(According to CNBC)