UN Considering Oil Embargo Against North Korea

Members of the United Nations Security Council are considering new sanctions for North Korea in reaction to its sixth and most powerful nuclear test.

联合国安理会成员国正在考虑对朝鲜实施新的制裁，作为对该国第六次，同时也是最强烈的一次核试验的回应。

However, experts say the support of China is critical to increase pressure on the government of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

然而专家表示，中国的支持对增加朝鲜领导人金正恩政府的压力至关重要。

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Thursday, “The U.N. Security Council should respond further and take necessary measures.”

中国外交部长王毅周四表示：“联合国安理会应该做出进一步回应，并且采取必要的措施。”

But, Wang said “sanctions and pressure” must be tied to “dialogue and negotiations 1.” China has said that increased restrictions 3 will not ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

但是王毅表示，“制裁施压”必须与“对话谈判”并重。中国方面表示，提高制裁无法缓解朝鲜半岛的紧张局势。

U.S. President Donald Trump 4 spoke 5 to Chinese President Xi Jinping about North Korea on Wednesday. Trump said Xi agreed on the need to answer North Korea’s nuclear test, saying, “He does not want to see what is happening there either.”

美国总统川普周三与中国国家主席习近平进行了对话。川普称，习主席赞同有必要对朝鲜的核试验做出回应。川普说：“他也不想看到朝鲜发生这样的事情。”

On Monday, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said the 15-member UN Security Council would negotiate a version of a resolution to place new sanctions on North Korea. She said the U.S. would seek a vote by Monday.

美国驻联合国大使尼基·哈利（Nikki Haley）周一表示，安理会15个成员国将会议定一项对朝鲜实施新制裁的决议。她说美国寻求在下周一之前投票表决。

On August 5, the UN Security Council approved resolution 2371. It came as the result of two long-range missile tests that North Korea carried out in July. The UN Security Council barred North Korea from exporting coal, iron, lead and seafood 6, along with other restrictions. The measures were aimed at cutting about one-third of North Korea's $3 billion in export income.

8月5日，联合国安理会通过了第2371号决议，这是对朝鲜7月份进行两次远程导弹试验的做出的回应。联合国安理会禁止朝鲜出口煤炭、铁、铅和海鲜产品，附带还有其它限制。这些措施旨在将朝鲜30亿美元的出口收入削减三分之一。

However, now there are calls to cut North Korea’s fuel imports in an effort to build pressure on its leaders.

然而，现在有人呼吁削减朝鲜的燃料进口，以对其领导人施加压力。

The proposed resolution

决议草案

VOA received a copy of the new proposed resolution on North Korea on Wednesday. The proposal calls for stopping North Korean cloth and clothing exports, and seeks to put limits on North Koreans working in other countries. But the biggest restriction 2 would ban the sale of oil, refined petroleum 7 products, and natural gas liquids to the North.

美国之音周三收到了对朝鲜的这项新决议草案的副本。该草案要求停止朝鲜的布料和服装出口，并对在海外工作的朝鲜人施加限制。但是最大的限制应该是禁止向朝鲜出售石油、成品油以及液态天然气。

Support from Russia and China is needed for an oil embargo 8 to work. Both countries are permanent members of the Security Council. They also are energy exporters to North Korea.

石油禁运想要生效需要获得中俄两国的支持。这两国都是安理会常任理事国。他们也是对朝鲜最大的能源出口国。

On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin did not offer support to the idea of blocking North Korea’s oil imports. Putin spoke during a meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in at an economic meeting in Vladivostok, Russia.

俄罗斯总统普京周三并不支持禁止朝鲜石油进口的想法。普京在俄罗斯海参威同韩国总统文在寅进行的经济会议上做出表态。

China provides North Korea with most of its oil and gas.

中国提供了朝鲜大部分的石油和天然气。

Joseph DeTrani is a former special diplomat 9 to the six party talks. They were nuclear talks including both Koreas, China, Russia, Japan and the U.S. DeTrani says the leverage 10 that the Chinese “have on crude oil is immense.”

约瑟夫·德特拉尼（Joseph DeTrani）是参与过六方会谈的一名前任特别外交官。六方会谈是指包含朝韩两国、中国、俄罗斯、日本和美国在内的核谈判。德特拉尼表示，中国对原油的影响力非常巨大。

But he says an oil embargo would destabilize North Korea’s economy, something China opposes.

但他表示，石油禁运会破坏朝鲜的经济，这是中国所反对的。

Although China and North Korea have had strained relations, DeTrani says Chinese public support for an oil ban is unlikely.

虽然中朝两国关系紧张，但是德特拉尼表示，中国公开支持石油禁运是不可能的。

“China doesn’t want to make North Korea a total enemy. They want to have some leverage. They don’t want to totally alienate 11 the leadership in Pyongyang.”

他说：“中国不想同朝鲜彻底闹僵。他们希望具备一定影响力，不希望完全疏远平壤的领导层。”

Richard Bush is with the Brookings Institution’s John L. Thornton China Center. He says China has to walk a fine line in its policies towards its eastern neighbor.

理查德·布什(Richard Bush)就职于布鲁金斯学会的约翰·桑顿中国中心。他说中国对它东边这个邻居的政策必须拿捏好分寸。

Bush says China wants to influence North Korea to stop its nuclear and missile tests. At the same time, China worries that a complete oil embargo would cause the country to collapse 12. That situation would create a refugee crisis on China’s border.

布什表示，中国想要影响朝鲜停止核试验和导弹试验。与此同时，中国担心彻底的石油禁运会导致朝鲜分崩离析，而这种状况会在中国边境造成一场难民危机。

Instead, Bush says China may try to create some flexibility 13 in possible new sanctions by setting a limit for yearly oil imports, or by slowly decreasing them.

布什表示，相反，中国也许试图通过对朝鲜每年的石油进口设限或是缓慢减少其石油进口，从而在可能的新制裁方面创造出一些灵活性。

He says China “wants to preserve its own freedom of action and flexibility, but at the same time be responsive to the concerns of the international community.”

他说中国“想要维护自身的行动自由和灵活性，同时对国际社会的关切做出回应。”

Yun Sun is a China expert at the Stimson Center in Washington DC. She says China has not shown that it is willing to cut off the North’s oil supplies. She said it might press for oil exports to be considered a humanitarian 14 exception to UN Security Council sanctions.

孙芸（Yun Sun，音译）是华盛顿史汀生中心的一名中国专家。她说中国并未表现出切断朝鲜石油供应的意愿。她说，中国可能会力陈石油出口被视为联合国案安理会制裁的人道主义例外。

I’m Mario Ritter.

Words in This Story

critical – adj. very important, without which nothing can be done

leverage – n. influence that can be used to get a desired result

alienate – v. to cause to become isolated 15 or apart from the group

walk a fine line – idiom to try to deal with two opposing issues or sides to avoid conflict

flexibility – n. the quality of being able to adjust or make small changes

exception – n. a case where a rule does not apply