China increases trade with North Korea by hundreds of times

China exported $12.978 million in goods to North Korea in March, well above the $3,000 in February and $33,000 in the first two months of the year, according to Chinese customs data released Sunday. China’s exports to North Korea rose to a six-month high in March, nearly 400 times the size of its total exports to the country in January and February, indicating an easing of border restrictions caused by the outbreak.

China’s exports to North Korea rose to a six-month high in March, nearly 400 times the size of its total exports in the previous two months, Reuters reported today.

China’s exports to North Korea in March were the highest since exports of $18.882 million in September last year. China imported $1.308 million in goods from North Korea in March, compared with $1.75 million in February.

Earlier last year, South Korea shut down nearly all cross-border travel and some countries, including Britain, France and Germany, withdrew their diplomatic staff from North Korea.