Sanctions may finally begin to have an effect on North Korea as China pledges to end coal imports until the end of 2017. That follows a 52% rise in Chinese imports in December, though they only accounted for 9% of China’s rapidly increasing coal demand, Panjiva data shows. Coal exports accounted for 45% of all shipments to China in 2016, with return exports from China to North Korea reaching $3.2 billion. Without the coal exports North Korea’s trade deficit with China in 2016 would have been $1.8 billion. The move by China leaves the North Korean leadership with some tough choices to mak...