Japanese navy spots suspected Chinese ship next to N Korean tanker

This article in Japanese contains recent video news of South Korean “sedori” smuggling to DPRK ships on the open sea, not only Chinese.

http://www.斜め読みニュース.tokyo/2018/05/29/北の瀬取りに関与濃厚も・・・まるで隠ぺい/

Asakaze “Not a mistake, just use of a shorter and more convenient word instead of rather cumbersome "Maritime Self-Defense Force". Moreover, MSDF is a navy everything but name.”

True, but this shortening was performed by the AP reporter(s) and would not have been written in the original Japanese text.

On ship size - that they are similar in size makes sense, there being no need for a supertanker to feed a much smaller vessel.  I suspect that NK does not have supertankers.  The Chinese tanker needs to be blacklisted as well if sanctions are to be truly supported by China.

I know, it was just a translation mistake. Right?

Not a mistake, just use of a shorter and more convenient word instead of rather cumbersome "Maritime Self-Defense Force". Moreover, MSDF is a navy everything but name.

For a control-freak like the Chinese government not to do anything about these ship excursions

World opinion can protest all they want against China supplying oil and resources to North Korea, but that isn't going to stop them. China will do whatever they want to do and will continue to back North Korea.

China will never allow North Korea to unify with South Korea until China can ensure its dominance in Asia. North Korea is a buffer. If the two Koreas unify then a unified democratic Korea would put US military bases right on the Communist China's doorstep.

What makes you all think unification will be under a democratic government? It's quite plausible with Trump out and a soft liberal POTUS in control in 2020, things will lead to U.S. military forces pullout from the peninsula, a demilitarized DMZ, Kim's nuclear weapons and missiles remain intact with China and Russia standing behind North Korea. Moon will accept a Peace Treaty with unification under DPRK regime. A DPRK-controlled unified Korea will be a powerful ally to China to help dominate and control the entire China Seas region.

China and Russia are direct sponsors and benefactors and probably are directing things with Kim behind the scene.

That's very true and China is using Kim to distract world attention away from China's activities in the China Seas while it continues to fortifies that military base and prepares to invade and annex Taiwan by 2020. With Taiwan firmly under China control and unified DPRK Korea aligned with China, China will dominate the entire China Seas region right up to Okinawa and mainland Japan's doorstep.

I agree with marcelito that this is probably some rogue Chinese traders making a quick buck. Business is business, after all. There is plenty of economic activity that the Chinese authorities have little control over.

On the other hand, I do not sense any particular political timing. This maritime area would naturally fall under Japanese watch, and who else would be there reporting such an event? Japan would want to keep sanctions biting, expecially as they have things to negotiate with DPRK before relaxing back to normal international relations.

Communist China does have something at odds with the North Korean communists but that doesn't mean US can attacks North Korea and occupying the river bank of Yalu and aiming cannons at China.

Should have impounded the NK ship and used it for target practice with the load (whatever it might be) after removing the crew.

Maybe now POTUS will put those ZTE sanction rulings back?

No big surprise here!

China and Russia are direct sponsors and benefactors and probably are directing things with Kim behind the scene.

They do finance him after all.

China will never allow North Korea to unify with South Korea until China can ensure its dominance in Asia. North Korea is a buffer. If the two Koreas unify then a unified democratic Korea would put US military bases right on the Communist China's doorstep.

It is why China occupied Tibet and is in dispute with India. It also why Russia is upset with the missile defense system that was placed in Europe by Western forces.

What a surprise. One of the most evil governments on the planet, China's CCP, lies and flouts sanctions to support one of the most evil regimes ever. Yes, China's government is bad.

China bad Japan good, no more need to think folks.

That's nothing new. It has been reported for some time that China has been illegally selling fuel to North Korea since the sanctions were implemented.