After facing after US President Donald Trump's criticism, China has denied the reports of illicitly selling oil products to North Korea.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters she had noted recent media reports including suggestions a Chinese vessel was suspected of transporting oil to a North Korean vessel on Oct. 19.
Earlier, South Korea’s Chosun Ilbo newspaper this week said that US spy satellites had detected Chinese ships transferring oil to North Korean vessels about 30 times since October.
Based on the report, Trump said on Twitter the previous day that China had been caught allowing oil into North Korea and that would prevent a friendly solution to the crisis over North Korea’s nuclear programme.
On Friday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said The Chinese side has conducted immediate investigation.
"In reality, the ship in question has, since August, not docked at a Chinese port and there is no record of it entering or leaving a Chinese port,” Hua said.
According to Reuters, she said she was not aware if the vessel had docked at the port in other countries but the relevant media reports “did not accord with facts”.
“China has always implemented UN Security Council resolutions pertaining to North Korea in their entirety and fulfils its international obligations. We never allow Chinese companies and citizens to violate the resolutions,” Hua said.
“If, through investigation, it’s confirmed there are violations of the UN Security Council resolutions, China will deal with them seriously in accordance with laws and regulations,” she said.