China's exports to North Korea up in Q1 despite sanctions

[BEIJING] China's exports to North Korea rose 14.7 per cent from a year earlier in the first quarter in yuan terms, customs spokesman Huang Songping said on Wednesday.

Imports from the isolated country rose 10.8 per cent compared with a year earlier, Huang told a news conference. China is North Korea's only major ally and most important trade partner.

Imported products were mainly coal and clothes, and exports were electromechanical products, labour-intensive and agricultural products. The rise in imports comes after China signed onto tough new international sanctions this year targeting Pyongyang's banned nuclear programme, including curbs on coal imports.

REUTERS