China And North Korea: State Media Accuses Beijing Of 'Mean Behavior' Conspiracy After Nuclear Sanctions

North Korean state media took a rare stab Thursday at the country's usual ally, China, after Beijing decided to halt coal imports over Pyongyang's nuclear program.

The government-run Korean Central News Agency ran a commentary entitled "Neighboring Country's Mean Behavior" that accused an unnamed nation "styling itself a big power" of "dancing to the tune of the U.S." by economically punishing the reclusive, authoritarian state over its recent missile tests and nuclear weapons program. China responded Saturday to North Korea's latest allegedly nuclear-capable ballistic missile launch earlier this month by restricting coal imports for the entirety of 2017.

China has been North Korea's largest trade partner and biggest diplomatic ally, but it has expressed opposition to Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program, which has increased dramatically since Kim Jong Un succeeded his father in 2011. North Korea has conducted five successful nuclear weapons tests and has claimed to possess the technology to fit these nuclear warheads on the missiles it possesses — a claim disputed by some experts.

Security analysts have estimated that North Korea has an array of missiles with varying ranges, some of which may be able to reach the U.S. Last month, Kim said the nation was close to developing intercontinental nuclear missiles.