US Voices Concern to China on Korean Arm Sales - Wall Street Journal

By JAY SOLOMON

WASHINGTONâ€"The Obama administration formally raised its concerns with China about Beijing's allegedly lax enforcement of sanctions on North Korea and, in particular, the continuing transfer of military hardware to the communist state.

The decision to address Washington's concerns through the American Embassy in Beijing came after videos of a recent North Korean military parade showed missiles being ferried on vehicles that may have been built using Chinese-made chassis and other equipment, U.S. officials said.

U.S. officials said they believe a Chinese company, Hubei Sanjiang, sold the parts used by North Korea in constructing the missile-transporter.

Senior Obama administration officials said they didn't believe the most recent alleged sale by the Chinese firm was sanctioned by the Beijing government.

But they said China continues to struggle to enforce a United Nations sanctions regime because of the growing number of Chinese firms producing equipment that could have both civilian and military applications.

Chinese officials have said in recent days that the country wasn't in violation of its commitments to enforce the U.N. resolutions.

"The United States will continue to work with the international community, including China, to enforce sanctions against North Korea's ballistic missile program and nuclear program," White House spokesman Jay Carney said Monday.

"I would say that we've raised the allegations with the Chinese government…as part of…our ongoing close consultations on North Korea," Mr. Carney said.

The Obama administration and its allies are seeking to increase North Korea's diplomatic and economic isolation in the wake of its failed rocket launch this month and fears that Pyongyang is moving to conduct its third nuclear-weapons test.

China has historically been one of North Korea's largest arms suppliers. But Beijing has signed on to United Nations resolutions imposing an arms embargo on the North.

U.S. officials, despite their consultations with Beijing, remain concerned about China's continuing role in proliferating military technologies.

American and European diplomats believe China remains a major supplier of technologies used in Iran's missile and nuclear programs. And North Korean officials have used Chinese front companies to procure equipment used in Pyongyang's nuclear program.

The White House Monday also admonished North Korea after its threat to turn parts of Seoul to ashes. "Provocative behavior by the North Korean regime does nothing to feed its people. In fact, it does the opposite," Mr. Carney said.

Write to Jay Solomon at jay.solomon@wsj.com