Russia & China bypassing Oil Sanctions to North Korea, U.S. Peeved

[Tom Kirkman + 8,860]

I'm shocked.  Shocked I tell you.  Russia and China violating UN sanctions by secretly selling oil to North Korea.

What's next?  Iran defiantly selling oil despite U.S. sanctions?

Waiting for tweet from Trump in 3 ... 2 ...

US Blasts China, Russia Over Sneaky Oil Sales To North Korea; Urges UN Action

As an aside, when I lived in Sarawak, our apartment was a 100 meters or so from the beach of the South China Sea.  Our apartment was up around the 14th floor (can't recall exactly) in the building complex, facing the sea, and we had a great view of the South China Sea.  Could see a long way offshore.  Could see lots of offshore oil platforms, ships, tankers, etc.  Used to watch the smuggling activities at sea from the living room balcony.  Couldn't see the smuggling from ground level, but could see a lot farther from a higher vantage point.  Trying to stop smuggling and black market oil trading is pretty much a lost cause.

[DanilKa + 443]

@jose chalhoub @Tom Kirkman et al, this week macrovoices is on China geopolitics - don’t miss it! 

https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/macro-voices/id1079172742?mt=2#episodeGuid=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.podtrac.com%2Fpts%2Fredirect.mp3%2Fwww.macrovoices.com%2Fpodcasts%2FMacroVoices-2018-07-05-Pippa-Malgrem.mp3

 

Edited July 13, 2018 by DanilKa

[jose chalhoub + 388]

Russia and China will always see Washington as an intruder in the region and especially dealing with North Korea. Russia has special energy interests and over gas to North Korea and the U.S. probably aims at sending some LNG to the country so in my view at the end of the day, all what Trump has been doing with Pyongyang will backfire. 

[DanilKa + 443]

1 hour ago, jose chalhoub said:

Russia and China will always see Washington as an intruder in the region and especially dealing with North Korea. Russia has special energy interests and over gas to North Korea and the U.S. probably aims at sending some LNG to the country so in my view at the end of the day, all what Trump has been doing with Pyongyang will backfire. 

China - yes, but Russia should keep its distance from Korea. I think Trump will be successful there, question is - what he’d have to trade in for China to handle the situation with millions of hungry brainwashed people from NK

[TraderTate + 186]

18 hours ago, Tom Kirkman said:

I'm shocked.  Shocked I tell you.  Russia and China violating UN sanctions by secretly selling oil to North Korea.

What's next?  Iran defiantly selling oil despite U.S. sanctions?

Waiting for tweet from Trump in 3 ... 2 ...

US Blasts China, Russia Over Sneaky Oil Sales To North Korea; Urges UN Action

As an aside, when I lived in Sarawak, our apartment was a 100 meters or so from the beach of the South China Sea.  Our apartment was up around the 14th floor (can't recall exactly) in the building complex, facing the sea, and we had a great view of the South China Sea.  Could see a long way offshore.  Could see lots of offshore oil platforms, ships, tankers, etc.  Used to watch the smuggling activities at sea from the living room balcony.  Couldn't see the smuggling from ground level, but could see a lot farther from a higher vantage point.  Trying to stop smuggling and black market oil trading is pretty much a lost cause.

This one generated an open chuckle. Thanks, Tom  I wonder if the US is peeved, too, that Pomeo got stood up by Kim for a visit to strategic potato farm. That whole sideshow in Singapore was a lot of nothing. Can't wait for Russia. 

[Tom Kirkman + 8,860]

6 hours ago, TraderTate said:

This one generated an open chuckle. Thanks, Tom  I wonder if the US is peeved, too, that Pomeo got stood up by Kim for a visit to strategic potato farm. That whole sideshow in Singapore was a lot of nothing. Can't wait for Russia. 

Thanks TraderTate : )   The U.S. involvement with the North Korea / Russia / China issue combined with UK / EU and also Iran make for some entertaining international oil & gas geopolitics.

[HermitMunster + 146]

N. Korea shares a border with both Russia and China--they are bosom buddies. I'm tired of hearing about sanctions. Why not just try and get along with all of the aforementioned countries and work out good deals for all of us? You know...diplomacy.

[John Foote + 1,135]

On 7/12/2018 at 5:14 PM, Tom Kirkman said:

I'm shocked.  Shocked I tell you.  Russia and China violating UN sanctions by secretly selling oil to North Korea.

What's next?  Iran defiantly selling oil despite U.S. sanctions?

Handing out bread crumbs to NK is an inexpensive way to get the USA to distract itself even more. NK's other challenge is paying for anything. Years ago they didn't have enough fuel to march south, relying on using the south's fuel for any attack. I doubt it's gotten any better.

And why on earth would Iran not sell their oil? The only question is what happens if the EU also buys it directly. That would be a heck of a hit to USA homogeny, which the current administration is working overtime to end with overreach. And remember, if anyone buys a significant amount of Iranian, in a sense we all buy it.