China’s commodity trade with North Korea increased in November for the first time since August, according to data from China’s General Administration of Customs.

China’s data shows that the entire commodity trade between China and North Korea reached $388 million in November, an increase of $53.1 million from October. Imports from North Korea increased by $9.4 million to $100 million, while exports to North Korea increased by $43.7 million to $287.8 million.

The increase in China’s reported trade volume occurred despite strict sanctions on North Korean imports and exports, raising questions about whether the two countries may have been trading