Chinese imports from North Korea in 2018 dropped to their lowest levels in 17 years, figures from China’s customs agency show, with overall trade also showing steep declines last year when compared to 2017.

The 2018 figures for the DPRK’s shipments to China, the North’s largest trade partner and economic benefactor, were lower than in any other year since 2001, prior to which no data is available.

According to figures provided by Beijing’s General Administration of Customs (GAC), the DPRK earned just USD$213 million from its shipments to China throughout 2018, less than 10 percent of pre-sanctions equivalents