Our post last week looked at the human rights links between China and North Korea and the long journey ahead of defectors who cross the Tuman river.

It’s important to remember that at the core of these diplomatic concerns are economic ties that link these two countries together. Reports of sanctions from China and the strong backlash from importers who rely on North Korean goods underline and complicate the calls

As calls for complete economic sanction and isolation against North Korea currently take stage amid threats of nuclear warfare, it is also important to remember that as these policies trickle down, both North Koreans and Chinese citizens suffer.  

"North Korea relies on China for about 90 percent of its foreign trade. So any move Beijing takes to restrict the flow of North Korean goods into China deals a substantial blow to Pyongyang. But because China’s economy is so intertwined with North Korea’s, it also causes hurt at home."

Read the full story here.