China's trade with North Korea rises 22% in January and February as ties improve

China's trade with North Korea rose 22% year-on-year during the first two months of the year, customs data showed on Friday, as their ties improved ahead of the resumption of bilateral transportation links in March.

China-North Korea relations have warmed again in recent months following strain because of Pyongyang's deepening links with Moscow. Chinese President Xi Jinping held his first meeting with North Korea's reclusive leader in six years when Kim Jong Un visited Beijing in September.

Two-way trade values between the two nations rose 22% to $418.7 million in January and February, according to China's General Administration of Customs.

Beijing typically publishes the January-February data as a combined release to smooth out the effects of the lunar new year, which falls in either month.

China's trade with North Korea rebounded in 2025 to pre-Covid levels, with full-year volumes reaching $2.73 billion, near the $2.79 billion recorded in 2019, before pandemic-era border restrictions curbed bilateral shipments.

In the first two months of 2026, China's exports to North Korea rose 19% to $329.5 million, with the top export category remaining human hair. Used in wig-making, it was valued at $24.3 million, down 26% from a year earlier.

Beijing exported 19% more soybean oil, the second-largest category of exports to its neighbour. Other top exports in the two months included footwear and frozen whole ducks.

China's imports from North Korea, meanwhile, jumped to $89.2 million in the reported period, from $65 million a year earlier. Wigs and hair products continued to dominate import shipments, totalling $30.26 million, down 9% from a year earlier.

Shipments of tungsten ores rose to become China's second-largest category of purchases from North Korea at $15.4 million, up from just $3.29 million in January-February 2025.

China is North Korea's largest trading partner and the bilateral trade has helped shore up its sanctions-hit economy.

At the same time, Pyongyang's deepening relationship with Russia had sparked questions about the future of its ties with Beijing. North Korea has supplied troops and weapons to Moscow in exchange for fuel and food supplies choked off by sanctions.

Following the September meeting, the two countries restarted their inter-capital train service from March 12, and Air China announced it would restart flights to North Korea from March 30.

-Colleen Howe/Reuters