China’s exports to North Korea jumped 20.9% in the first three quarters of 2017, customs data showed.
For the January through September period of the year, Asia’s largest economy exported $2.55 billion in value to the pariah state, the data showed, according to Reuters.
Imports from North Korea during that nine-month period actually fell 16.7 percent, according to the data, and so the total trade figure only saw a 3.7 percent increase, Reuters reported.
Of note, both exports and imports between the two nations fell in September from the previous month, according to the data: Exports to North Korea sank from $315.97 million to $266.35 million, and imports from North Korea fell from $288.29 million to $145.82 million.
This is a breaking news story, check back for updates.
—Reuters contributed to this report.
