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Home » air china » Air China In Center Of Spat Between US And China Over North Korea
air chinaNews

Air China In Center Of Spat Between US And China Over North Korea

Matthew Klint Posted onDecember 17, 2019November 14, 2023 12 Comments

a white airplane on a runway

Photos of Air China refueling in Pyongyang have led to accusations from the US that China has defied tough international sanctions against the repressive North Korean regime.

Pictures have emerged documenting that Air China frequently refuels at Pyongyang Sunan International Airport (FNJ). Air China flies Boeing 737s to the North Korean capital and over the last three years has been frequently refueled by Air Koryo. Air Koryo is North Korea’s flag carrier and also closely linked to the military.

Air China confirmed the fuel purchase to the Financial Times:

“Due to considerations of flight safety and economic interests, Air China on the Beijing-Pyongyang-Beijing flight path takes off with fuel for a single journey from Beijing to Pyongyang and then refuels in Pyongyang before returning to Beijing.”

The question is what is the source of this fuel? Strict international sanctions block the sale of aviation fuel to Kim Jong Un’s regime. US Intelligence officials believe North Korea does not have the refining capacity to produce its own jet fuel.

Working on the theory that if sanctions were working, North Korea would be starved for aviation fuel and not simply sell it to Air China each day, the Pentagon has suggested that China is helping North Korea circumvent the sanctions. China has denied the charges.

CONCLUSION

The other answer could simply be that North Korea relies upon China for humanitarian aid and “sacrifices” its own jet fuel for a greater prize. But whatever the case, Air China finds itself in the middle of dueling claims between US and Chinese officials.

image: Alan Wilson / Flickr

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Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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12 Comments

  1. Phil Duncan Reply
    December 17, 2019 at 10:37 am

    Somehow I can’t imagine Air China are in the least bit bothered by this and any country that tries to sanction them will find the sanctions repayed in full and with interest.

    • Paolo Reply
      December 17, 2019 at 9:10 pm

      Agree. The naivety of what they’re pleased to call the China ‘strategy’ defies belief. At least we can look forward to Elizabeth Warren , ably assisted by AOC, putting it right.

  2. debit Reply
    December 17, 2019 at 11:32 am

    Whatever. Trump doesn’t give two sh$$$ about the USA. He will fold like a cheap suit and bend over for xi as long as he gets to make more money. He is no better than a hooker. Sell anything for money. China knows this and doesn’t care about trump histrionics.

    The phase 1 trade deal is already a joke. All that bluster for nothing. Probably just to get the fed to ease so he can play around with thiming of tariffs to spoke the economy and get reelected.

    • WR2 Reply
      December 18, 2019 at 7:56 pm

      And yet Obama did nothing for 8 years…even sending them billions in aid. Trump is finally pushing back, and now that’s not enough for you? You’re an idiot leftist troll, nothing more.

  3. Ron Reply
    December 17, 2019 at 1:22 pm

    Why should Air China, a chinese company, be bothered by what someone in the pentagon thinks?
    Is American Airlines listening to someone in the chinese defense forces?

    • Matthew Reply
      December 17, 2019 at 1:26 pm

      The problem is not Air China’s, but whether the Chinese government is undermining efforts to denuclearize the DPRK by supplying it black market fuel and other staples that prop up the Kim regime in violation of UN-backed sanctions.

      • Ron Reply
        December 17, 2019 at 1:31 pm

        You can bet they do.
        China will do anything to advance their geopolitical interests.
        And will mot hesitate to play some divide and concur.

  4. James Reply
    December 17, 2019 at 3:44 pm

    US would do the same in any given sunday. Its just the matter how to sell to the public that you are the good guy and he is the bad guy while both doing the same exact thing.

    You are american, feed of american media and news, off course china is the guilty party. As simple as that.

  5. Christian Reply
    December 17, 2019 at 3:53 pm

    Let’s be realistic here for a moment. When was the last time China felt constrained to follow any rule it didn’t like? The country may follow rules out of prudence, but never because some other country tells them to.

  6. henry LAX Reply
    December 17, 2019 at 6:06 pm

    let’s see…. what countries are being heavily sanctioned that desperately need crude revenue and don’t much about ethics, which will be perfectly pairing with DPRK ?

    oh right…. BOTH (1) the world’s largest proven reserves at Venezuela, and the world’s 2nd largest crude producer that is also backed by the same amount of natural gas reserves as Qatar – Iran.

    Oil being internationally traded by the dollar is only a concern for those who care about doing relatively clean business, but no one says I can’t walk to Tehran and buy some crude with fort knox gold bullion or west africa blood diamonds.

  7. Paolo Reply
    December 17, 2019 at 9:05 pm

    The US would be better advised to focus efforts on other rogue states, including ones it provides with massive aid. Isn’t wonder-boy Kushner on the case? In any case Trump has undermined strategies to deal with North Korea, via the ludicrous ‘bromance’ with Kim.

  8. Pingback: Christmas At Miami Airport's Gate D51 - View from the Wing

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