China’s exports to North Korea grew nearly 20 per cent in the first half of the year. However, China’s imports from North Korea in the same period were down 24.3 per cent. China is North Korea’s biggest trade partner and a key source of energy and food. Exports from North Korea to China slumped as much as 52.3 per cent year on year in March, a month after China stopped all imports of the North Korea’s coal and lignite.

China’s imports of coal from North Korea between January and June showed a 54.9 per cent year-on-year drop. Even though jet fuel was one of five banned export items in April 2016, China’s export of jet fuel to the country increased 18.3 per cent year on year in the first half of the year. Exports of rocket fuel and helicopters - also on the banned list - were nil during the period.

China’s exports to North Korea were augmented in spite of the sanctions. Shipments of made-in-China mobile phones spiked 92.8 per cent year on year in the first six months and textile exports also expanded at a sizable rate. North Korea had 3.24 million mobile phone users as of end 2015. That is almost 47 times the figure in 2009, when the country first allowed citizens access to mobile phones.