China recently rejected the U.S. suggestion of a ban on resource trading with North Korea and is expected to be unhappy with the U.S. sanctions legislation, should it become law. 

“Beijing is very likely to voice disapproval of any measures that negatively impact China’s financial or commercial interests, especially if the sanctions are unilateral,” Sheena Greitens, a senior fellow of Brookings Institute [and University of Missouri faculty member] told NK News.

However, Chinese financial institutions may be more wary than the government. Banco Delta Asia, a Macau-based bank known to have engaged in North Korea’s money laundering, was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2005 under Section 311 of the Patriot Act.

“The sanctions rely on banks being conscious of their reputation. They are powerful in that the banks themselves have to decide what is in their economic interests,” Greitens said. “Depending on how the sanctions are written, the Chinese government might object, but [Chinese] banks and companies might still feel enough pressure that they decide their interest is to comply.”