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ChiComs fill NORK Void Left by Drop in US aid, Japanese Trade
From East-Asia-Intel...subscription req’d...
North Korea’s deepening isolation caused by its prolonged standoff with the U.S. and its East Asian allies over its nuclear weapons drive is forcing the reclusive country to rely more on trade with its only remaining communist neighbor, China.
Since it refuses to give up its nefarious trade practices in marketing missiles and dope.
The trade volume between North Korea and China surpassed $1 billion in 2003, up 38.7 percent from a year ago when it stood at $738 million, the Korea International Trade Association said in a recent report. North Korea imported $627 million worth of goods from China, including fuel, while exporting $395 million worth of goods, mostly seafood, clothing and steel, to its communist neighbor.
Just what the Chicoms need, the finest Nork Steel, heat treated with White Slag and Juche.
The North’s fuel imports sharply increased by 53.2 percent to $187 million from the previous year. The North’s chronic energy shortage deepened last year after the United States stopped an annual shipment of 500,000 tons of fuel oil in January 2003.
Just what the Chicoms need, supplying the Norks with oil when their own domestic supplies are inadequate.
In contrast, North Korea’s trade with Japan fell more than 30 percent year-over-year in 2003 following Tokyo’s crackdown over Pyongyang’s nuclear ambitions. The report says that two-way trade volume between North Korea and Japan fell by one-third last year from the previous year to $46.9 million, the lowest in 30 years. Analysts say China’s greater role in North Korea’s economic survival would boost Beijing’s leverage in bringing Pyongyang to the table to defuse international concerns over its nuclear weapons.
If Beijing wants to do this they could squeeze Kimmie hard, but no evidence of this yet, being communist buddies and all that.
Diplomatic sources say China has promised to provide North Korea with 26 billion won ($22 million) worth of economic aid in return for Pyongyang’s pledge to return to international talks on its nuclear ambitions. The talks are slated to begin next week.
$22 million for showing up for talks and meals, no promises of results. Nice work if you can get it.
Meanwhile, North Korea recently vowed to seek brisk trade with capitalist countries. A recent article in the Kyongje Yongu (Economy Studies), a magazine published by the North Korean government, called for economic diplomacy by expanding markets abroad. "We should conduct active economic diplomacy, that is trade, to brazenly penetrate into capitalist countries," it said.
First you have to have something to sell besides missiles to Senegal and heroin to Australia.
Posted by: Alaska Paul 2004-02-18
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=26482