China on Thursday expressed "deep regret" at a decision made by the U.S. Treasury Department to impose strict financial curbs on a Macao-based bank which has links with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

"We express deep regret at the United States insisting on using U.S. domestic law to apply a ruling on Banco Delta Asia." Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told a news conference.

Qin said both Chinese central government and government of Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) have expressed their concern on the issue of Banco Delta Asia to the U.S. side many times.

"The Chinese central government firmly supports the government of Macao SAR to appropriately resolve the related issues in accordance with the law," he said.

The U.S. Treasury Department announced Wednesday to bar U.S. banks from dealing with Macao-based Banco Delta Asia which the United States accused of money laundering for the DPRK.

As part of the nuclear deal reached during the six-party talks in Beijing on Feb. 13, the United States agreed to settle the financial dispute with the DPRK within 30 days.

Source: Xinhua