BEIJING: China’s first-half trade with North Korea rose 10.5 percent year-on-year, Chinese officials said Thursday, as the US urges Beijing to apply economic pressure on its neighbor. But Huang said imports from North Korea have sharply decreased every month since March and insisted that Beijing was upholding United Nations sanctions against Pyongyang over its nuclear program. Trade related to DPRK people’s livelihood, especially those that reflect humanitarianism should not be influenced by the sanctions.”Regional tensions escalated after North Korea successfully tested an intercontinental ballistic missile 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!” Trump tweeted on July 5.

Source: Manila Times July 13, 2017 03:56 UTC