A former North Korean diplomat says China’s recent suspension of coal imports from North Korea is aimed at pressing Pyongyang to act in Beijing's interests rather than dealing a blow to the North.

North Korea’s former deputy ambassador to London Thae Yong-ho, who defected to South Korea last year, gave the assessment in a report that he produced as an adviser of the Institute for National Security Strategy.

Thae said China appears to be aiming to regain the strategic status of a key player in Northeast Asia by getting the North to return to the six-party nuclear talks.

He claimed what irritates China the most is North Korea’s attempt to seek dialogue only with the U.S. Trump administration, disregarding its biggest ally, leading China to provoke the North with the ban.