BEIJING: China’s trade with North Korea rose more than 10 percent during the first half of the year despite pressure from the US for Beijing to put further pressure on its troublesome neighbor.
Total trade with Pyongyang reached $2.55 billion (SR9.56 billion) in the period from January to June, propped by a 29.7 percent increase in exports to $1.67 billion. Imports from North Korea meanwhile fell 13.2 percent to $880 million.
US president Donald Trump has criticized China’s ties with the North Korean government, saying its economic interests undermined its ability to challenge president Kim Jong-un’s totalitarian rule.
“Trade between China and North Korea grew almost 40 percent in the first quarter. So much for China working with us — but we had to give it a try,” Trump said in tweet last week.
Trade between China and North Korea grew almost 40% in the first quarter. So much for China working with us - but we had to give it a try!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 5, 2017
China has repeatedly said it was fully enforcing UN sanctions but saw nothing wrong with what it said was “normal” trade with Pyongyang, referring to areas not covered by sanctions.
The exports were largely driven by textile products and other traditional labor-intensive goods not included on the UN embargo list, a Chinese official said.
“As neighbors, China and North Korea maintain normal business and trade exchanges,” customs spokesman Huang Songping said, and added that goods for ordinary people and those used for humanitarian reasons were not subject to sanctions.
China had suspended imports of North Korean coal in February, while imports of iron ore follow relevant UN resolutions, he said.
Trade between China and North Korea has declined in both 2015 and 2016, an academic from a state-backed think-tank said a front-page comment in the overseas edition of the People’s Daily on Wednesday.
“Certain countries have no right to make wanton criticisms of China,” wrote Su Xiaohui of the China Institute of International Studies.
