appConfigEntityId

bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

hooksArticlePageAdvertisementConfigArticle

liveArticle

appConfig

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sectionsV2

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

json

Laura Zhou

China’s January trade with North Korea fell to the lowest level since at least June 2014, the latest sign that China has kept up pressure on its isolated neighbour in line with United Nations trade sanctions.
China remains North Korea’s largest trading partner and sole major ally, although overall trade has fallen in recent months as the sanctions take effect.
Trade between China and North Korea totalled US$215.97 million in January, down 52 per cent from the year-earlier period and 31 per cent month on month, final trade numbers from the General Administration of Customs showed on Friday.
China’s exports to North Korea totalled US$168.88 million in January compared with US$257.73 million in December, while imports from North Korea were US$47.09 million versus US$54.68 million in December.
China ‘highly concerned’ over possible breach of UN sanctions on North Korea
Data due to be released by China on Saturday will provide further detail on imports and exports of specific products to and from North Korea, shedding more light on which shipments were affected.
Beijing imported no iron ore, coal or lead from North Korea and exported no oil products except for a tiny amount of jet fuel in December, the third full month of the latest United Nations trade sanctions.
Lu Chao, a Korea expert at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, said trade with China would continue to decline due to bans on exports of commodities as well as textile products and seafood, which used to be major income sources for the isolated country.
“Without these exports, North Korea’s purchasing power is going down and that trend is expected to continue,” Lu said.
Beijing has taken a tough stance on North Korea in recent months in the wake of a series of missile and nuclear tests Pyongyang said had built up its ballistic missile nuclear capability.
The United States has led an international campaign to tighten sanctions on North Korea to force it to give up development of nuclear weapons and missiles capable of hitting the United States.

The Trump administration planned to announce on Friday what was being billed as the largest package of sanctions yet against North Korea to increase pressure on Pyongyang for its nuclear and ballistic missile tests, a senior administration official said.
Meanwhile there are concerns over whether China has violated UN sanctions against North Korea. On Wednesday, the Japanese foreign ministry reported a suspected sanctions violation by Pyongyang after spotting an apparent cargo transfer between a ship marked with Chinese characters and a North Korean vessel. Beijing said it was highly concerned about the report and has launched an investigation.
US slaps China with sanctions amid North Korea nuclear crackdown
Lu said that since Pyongyang was now suffering from a severe oil shortage because of the sanctions, the regime was likely to be trying to find ways to import oil.
“But oil smuggling could involve people from any country, and since there will always be someone willing to take the high risk, we could see this happen again in the future,” Lu said. “But I think smuggling from China could be limited given the strict measures taken by the Chinese government.”
Tensions on the Korean peninsula have eased in recent weeks as the two Koreas put on a show of unity, forming a united team to participate in the Winter Olympics, which wraps up on Sunday.
In what was seen as a friendly gesture by the outside world, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sent a delegation, led by his sister Kim Yo-jong, to South Korea to attend the opening ceremony, and according to a letter she delivered, Kim Jong-un also invited South Korean President Moon Jae-in to visit Pyongyang at the “earliest date possible”.
Additional reporting by Reuters


How Trump is inadvertently bringing Japan, South Korea together

Could a ‘reckless’ Trump’s ‘destroy-and-deal’ tactics target North Korea?

US economic gap over China to widen, but Iran might bring them closer: former UN official

Why South Korea’s Lee is urging ‘mutual respect’ diplomacy amid US tensions

North Korea

China-North Korea trade falls to near four-year low in January as sanctions bite

A truck crossing the Friendship Bridge from the North Korean town of Sinuiju to the Chinese border city of Dandong last month. China’s January trade with North Korea fell to the lowest level since at least June 2014. Photo: AFP

A truck with a North Korean license plate drives away from the Quanhe border crossing between China and North Korea in Yanbian in northeastern China's Jilin province, Friday, Sept. 8, 2017. South Korea is closely watching North Korea over the possibility it may launch another intercontinental ballistic missile as soon as Saturday when it celebrates its founding anniversary. (AP Photo)

News

China

Diplomacy

Trade between China and North Korea totalled US$215.97 million in January, down 52 per cent from the year-earlier period, Chinese customs data shows


North Korea sanctions

China-North Korea trade falls to near four-year low in January as sanctions bite

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Trade between China and North Korea totalled US$215.97 million in January, down 52 per cent from the year-earlier period, Chinese customs data shows

Trade between China and North Korea totalled US$215.97 million in January, down 52 per cent from the year-earlier period, Chinese customs data shows