China protests new U.S. sanctions against North Korea

China is protesting new U.S. sanctions against North Korea that target businesses and individuals that help dictator Kim Jong Un further his totalitarian regime’s nuclear ambitions. The sanctions, announced Tuesday, apply mostly to Chinese and Russian companies. A Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman said her country has “earnestly and comprehensively” implemented UN Security Council sanctions against North Korea and doesn’t need U.S. help policing its citizens. Chinese officials have warned that the latest sanctions could damage the country’s relationship with the United States. According to the U.S. Treasury Department, which announced the sanctions, three Chinese companies imported approximately $500 million in North Korean coal between 2013 and 2016. North Korea takes in about $1 billion from coal exports every year. Analysts say the next step in sanctions could target Chinese banks, a move the country’s leaders want to avoid.