US President Donald Trump praises China, Russia for helping with North Korea sanctions

US President Donald Trump walks to Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, August 4, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

US President Donald Trump has expressed his appreciation to Russia and China for voting in favor of the United Nations' new sanctions against North Korea, the White House says.

“President Donald J. Trump commends the United Nations Security Council for passing a new resolution that increases sanctions on North Korea in response to its recent ballistic missile tests,” the White House press secretary’s office said in a statement on Saturday.

“The President appreciates China’s and Russia’s cooperation in securing passage of this resolution,” it added.

Earlier in the day, the UNSC voted unanimously in favor of a sanction package that is expected to slash Pyongyang’s annual revenue by around $1 billion, or one-third.

The measure blocks all exports of coal, iron and iron ore, lead and lead ore, as well as fish and seafood from the North.

The Trump administration had  been pressuring China, the North’s main trade ally, to agree with tougher sanctions against the neighboring country.

The Republican president took to his twitter account on Saturday to express his excitement over the new penalties.

“The United Nations Security Council just voted 15-0 to sanction North Korea. China and Russia voted with us. Very big financial impact!” he wrote, calling the measure “the single largest economic sanctions package ever on North Korea.”

Russia and China were resisting US calls for new sanctions, saying they would only agree when the North obtains the required technology to develop intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), Reuters reported, citing diplomatic sources.

Unlike Washington, Beijing and Moscow argue that Pyongyang has yet to master the know-how.

On July 28, Pyongyang successfully tested a Hwasong-14 missile, which American officials claimed was capable of hitting targets in “most of the US.”

Tillerson hails UNSC bans

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson also expressed his satisfaction with the new trade embargoes.

“It was a good outcome,” Tillerson told reporters with a smile during a meeting with Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha of South Korea in Manila before an annual summit hosted by Southeast Asian countries— collectively known as ASEAN.

Following the new UNSC bans, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged North Korea “to make the right and smart decision.”