So, Does This Mean China is Cooperating with Sanctions?

Looks like the North Koreans got caught trying the old “hide the strategic metal beneath the fruit box” trick:

Chinese border police have seized 70 kg (154 lb) of the strategic metal vanadium bound for North Korea, a local newspaper said on Tuesday, foiling an attempt to smuggle a material used to make missile parts.

[...]

Altogether 68 bottles totaling 70 kg of vanadium worth 200,000 yuan ($29,280) were seized at the Dandong border with North Korea, the Dandong News said.

“Customs agents at the Dandong border crossing inspect six boxes of the rare metal vanadium found hidden under boxes of fruit in a truck stopped during border checks,” the newspaper said in a front-page caption of a photo dated July 24.

Pretty tricky. Still, I hope the truck driver’s experience with the border guards was more pleasant than this couple’s.

Anyway, this could mean that China’s on-board with the sanctions regime. Or maybe it means something else:

China restricts the export of vanadium and other minor metals as part of a domestic policy meant to preserve strategic metals, encourage investment in processing industries and control international price fluctuations.

Hmm.