North Korea's trade with China has grown tenfold in 15 years
In the wake of Sunday’s ballistic missile launch by North Korea, President Trump has called North Korea “a big, big problem” but offered no further comment or insight into his new administration’s policy toward North Korea.
But if the administration is looking for leverage, it should look no further than China, the destination of more than 90% of North Korean trade. China's trade with North Korea has grown more than tenfold over the past 15 years, while trade with other countries has dwindled to virtually nil.
In fact, China accounts for 90% of North Korea's trade, including virtually all of North Korea's exports.
And, in recent years, China has been supportive of measures to rein in North Korea. China joined Russia, Japan and the United Nations in condemning the most recent missile launch, which traveled about 300 miles before dropping into the sea.
China has also increasingly agreed with the international community in punishing North Korea for its nuclear ambitions. (Beijing summoned the North Korean ambassador after the 2013 nuclear test to voice disapproval.) But at the same time, China opened a container shipping route, a high-speed rail line and created a trade zone at the border in 2015, boosting bilateral trade.
And that's all led to increases in trade.
In 15 years, trade volume has climbed more than tenfold, rising from $488 million in 2000 to $5.4 billion in 2015. The dip in 2015 is due to the drop in prices of key trade items such as coal, coupled with an economic slowdown in China, according to the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), a South Korean state agency.
At the same time, North Korea became more dependent on Chinese trade. In 2015, 91% of its trade was with its big neighbor, a huge jump from 57% in 2006.
According to KOTRA data, Japan and China were North Korea's major trade partners in 2000, each making up one-fourth of the total trade. Trade with Japan dwindled after the abduction issue in 2002 and trade with the West was further reduced after sanctions were imposed against North Korea following the nuclear crisis in October 2002, allowing China to fill the void.
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A security guard stands in a courtyard of the Kim Jong-Suk textile mill following a snowfall in Pyongyang, Feb. 22, 2017. Ed Jones, AFP/Getty Images
Two women walk outside a dormitory of the Kim Jong-Suk textile mill in Pyongyang Feb. 22, 2017. Ed Jones, AFP/Getty Images
A worker pushes a trolley carrying buckets of silk-worm larvae at the Kim Jong Suk Silk Mill in Pyongyang Feb. 21, 2017. The Kim Jong Suk Silk Mill employs a workforce of 1,600 people, and is named after the grandmother of current North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un. Ed Jones, AFP/Getty Images
People watch a fireworks display as they visit an ice festival near the Taedong river, on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the birth of Kim Jong-Il, in central Pyongyang Feb. 16, 2017. Ed Jones, AFP/Getty Images
People look at a noticeboard after a fireworks display in front of Kim Il-Sung square as they visit an ice festival near the Taedong river, on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the birth of Kim Jong-Il, in central Pyongyang, Feb. 16, 2017. Ed Jones, AFP/Getty Images
A woman dressed in a traditional gown pays her respects at statues of late North Korean leaders, Kim Il Sung, left, and Kim Jong Il, in Pyongyang, North Korea, Thursday, Feb. 16, 2017. Unaware of reports his eldest son - and current leader Kim Jong Uns half-brother - was killed just days ago in what appears to have been a carefully planned assassination, North Koreans marked the birthday of late leader Kim Jong Il on Thursday as they do every year. Eric Talmadge, AP
Children with offerings walk toward statues of late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il to pay tribute, in Pyongyang, North Korea, Thursday, Feb. 16, 2017. Jo Chol Jin, AP
Residents sip hot tea at stalls set up as part of celebrations of the birth of the late leader Kim Jong Il, in Pyongyang, North Korea, Thursday, Feb. 16, 2017. Eric Talmadge, AP
Performers take part in a mass dance event on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the birth of Kim Jong-Il, in Pyongyang on Feb. 16, 2017. ED JONES, AFP/Getty Images
Men transport gas cylinders in Pyongyang, Feb. 13, 2017. Wong Maye-E, AP
People ski at the Masik Pass Ski Resort in Wonsan, Feb. 11, 2017. Wong Maye-E, AP
Two elderly men crouch on a smoke break in Pyongyang, Feb. 13, 2017. Wong Maye-E, AP
People walk down the street in Pyongyang, Feb. 12, 2017. Wong Maye-E, AP
A boy runs with the national flag along the Pyongyang-Wonsan highway in Wonsan, which is about 125 miles from the capital and is a port city located along the eastern side of the Korean Peninsula, Feb. 11, 2017. Wong Maye-E, AP
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un visits the newly built Pyongyang Orphans' Primary School, Feb. 2, 2017. AFP PHOTO/KCNA VIA KNS
Children of the workers at the Suk Silk Mill sing and dance at a childcare center at the the mill in Pyongyang, Jan. 6, 2017. The mill, named after North Korean leader Kim Jong UnÕs grandmother, is where 1,600 workers _ mostly women _ sort and process silkworms which produce silk thread that officials at the Pyongyang factory say is made into roughly 200 tons of silk a year. Wong Maye-E, AP
This woman sorts silkworm cocoons to be boiled as part of the silk production process at the Kim Jong Suk Silk Mill in Pyongyang, Jan. 6, 2017. In his New Year's address, leader Kim Jong Un called for the people to step up production. Wong Maye-E, AP
Women sort out silkworm cocoons to be boiled at the Kim Jong Suk Silk Mill in Pyongyang, North Korea, Jan 6, 2017. Wong Maye-E, AP
Kim Jong-Un posing with the school students while visiting newly built Pyongyang Orphans' Primary School, Feb. 2, 2017. STR, AFP/Getty Images
A man rides his electric bicycle along the Taedong River bank at the end of a work day in Pyongyang, Nov 6, 2017. Wong Maye-E, AP
This is a mass rally taking place at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, Jan. 5, 2017 North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency , AFP/Getty Images
A traffic police officer directs traffic on a road in Pyongyang Dec. 2, 2016Believed to be hand-picked for their looks, Pyongyang's female traffic police are a familiar sight at intersections around the capital, where traffic volumes have noticeably increased in recent years. Ed Jones, AFP/Getty Images
Pedestrians and cyclists are reflected in the Pothong River as they across a bridge at the start of their work day in Pyongyang, Jan. 6, 2017. Wong Maye-E, AP
North Korean honor guards watch as Choe Ryong Hae, vice chairman of North Korea's State Affairs Commission leaves for the departure gates at the Pyongyang Airport Jan. 6, 2017. Hae was headed to Nicaragua to attend the inauguration of their newly elected President Daniel Ortega. Wong Maye-E, AP
Kim Jong-Un at Fishery Station No. 15 of the Korean People's Army unit 549 Dec. 15, 2016. Korean Central News Agency via AFP/Getty Images
Baek Hyun-kyung is a tour guide at the Three Charters of National Reunification Monument where she works on the outskirts of Pyongyang Dec. 2, 2016. Ed Jones, AFP/Getty Images
A member of North Korea's under-20 women's football team is welcomed back at Pyongyang airport after beating France to win the 2016 FIFA under-20 Women's World Cup Dec. 6, 2016. KIM WON-JIN, AFP/Getty Images
Kim Jong-Un at the Wonsan Shoes Factory in Kangwon Province in this photo released on Dec. 9, 2016. Korean Central News Agency via AFP/Getty Images
Korean People's Army (KPA) lieutenant and tour guide Hwang Myong-jin poses for a photo in front of a hut where negotiations for the Korean War armistice agreement were held in 1953, at Panmunjom near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating North and South Korea Nov. 30, 2016. Ed Jones, AFP/Getty Images
Sailor Kim Il-Soo poses for a photo on a boat used to host wedding photo shoots on the Taedong river in Pyongyang Nov. 25, 2016. Ed Jones, AFP/Getty Images
North Korean traffic police women chat next to a residential building while off duty Oct. 18, 2016, in Pyongyang. Wong Maye-E, AP
Kim Jong-Un interacting with people while inspecting the outpost on Kali Islet and the defence detachment on Jangjae Islet in the West Sea, Nov. 13, 2016. KCNA, AFP/Getty Images
North Koreans walk past a residential building as they use an overhead bridge to cross a major intersection Oct. 18, 2016, in Pyongyang. Wong Maye-E, AP
North Koreans are seen in silhouette as they make their way across an intersection at the end of a work day Oct. 18, 2016, in Pyongyang. Wong Maye-E, AP
Azalea, whose Korean name is "Dalle", a 19-year-old female chimpanzee, smokes a cigarette at the Central Zoo in Pyongyang, North Korea Oct. 19, 2016. According to officials at the newly renovated zoo, which has become a favorite leisure spot in the North Korean capital since it was re-opened in July, the chimpanzee smokes about a pack a day. They insist, however, that she does not inhale. Wong Maye-E, AP
Students stretch following an under-14 training session at the Pyongyang International Football School in Pyongyang, Sept 22, 2016. Ed Jones, AFP/Getty Images
A North Korean boy in his school uniform walks past a playground in a residential area on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2016, in Pyongyang, North Korea. Wong Maye-E, AP
Spectators cheer as parachutists perform an aerial display during the Wonsan International Friendship Air Festival, Sept 24, 2016. Ed Jones, AFP/Getty Images
North Korean female MiG-21 fighter pilots Rim Sol, left, and Jo Kum Hyang, right, walk past a MiG-21 plane at the Wonsan International Friendship Air Festival, Sept 24, 2016. Wong Maye-E, AP
North Korean boys play in a fountain feature during a hot afternoon Sept. 23, 2016, in Pyongyang. Wong Maye-E, AP
Residents look up at a big screen TV in front of Pyongyang railway station showing television presenter Ri Chun-Hee officially announcing that the country successfully tested a nuclear warhead earlier in the day on Sept. 9, 2016. North Korea has successfully tested a nuclear warhead, it said which said the "maniacal recklessness" of young ruler Kim Jong-Un would lead to self-destruction. Kim Won-Jin, AFP/Getty Images
This is a national meeting to celebrate the 68th founding anniversary of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in Pyongyang, Sept. 9, 2016. KCNA, AFP/Getty Images
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un while inspecting the Taedonggang Pig Farm in Pyongyang, Aug.18, 2016 KCNA via AFP/Getty Images
A North Korean man gulps down a glass of draft beer during a beer drinking competition held Aug. 12, 2016 in Pyongyang. This competition was held during a beer festival along the Taedong River in the North Korean capital. Kim Kwang Hyon, AP
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un inspects the Chollima building materials complex in Pyongyang, July 27, 2016. KCNA, AFP/Getty Images
A surface-to-surface medium long-range strategic ballistic rocket Hwasong-10, also known by the name of Musudan missile, being launched at an undisclosed location, North Korea. According to South Korea and Japan's officials, North Korea test-fired a ballistic missile off its east coast early Aug 3, 2016. KCNA, via European Pressphoto Agency
North Korean soldiers peep into a conference room in the United Nations Command Military Armistice Commission Conference Building during a ceremony marking the 63rd anniversary of the signing of the Korean War ceasefire armistice agreement at the truce village of Panmunjom, South Korea. Kim Hong-Ji, AP
Military personnel stand during a rally at Kim Il Sung Square July 2, 2016, in Pyongyang. They were celebrating the new title of chairman of the new State Affairs Commission given to leader Kim Jong Un at a meeting of its national parliament. Kim Kwang Hyon, AP
A missile is fired during a drill by Hwasong artillery units of the Strategic Force of the Korean People's Army, photo released on July 21, 2016 . North Korea said its latest ballistic missile tests trialled detonation devices for possible nuclear strikes on US targets in South Korea and were personally monitored by supreme leader Kim Jong-Un. KCNA, AFP/Getty Images
Fairground participants ride a big swing in Pyongyang July 9, 2016. Ed Jones, AFP/Getty Images
Performers meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un at an art performance staged by the amateur art groups of the Korean People's Army (KPA) units in Pyongyang July 16, 2016. KCNA, AFP/Getty Images
A traffic police woman directs vehicles at a street junction in front of a sidewalk decorated with flags of the ruling party, the Workers' Party in Pyongyang, May, 5, 2016. Wong Maye-E, AP
North Koreans push their bicycles in the rain on a pathway along the Pothong River in Pyongyang. Wong Maye-E, AP
Taxis wait for passengers at the Pyongyang train station May 5, 2016. Wong Maye-E, AP
People walk on a rail tracks in Pyongyang, April 18, 2016. Franck Robichon, EUROPEAN PRESSPHOTO AGENCY
People ride the escalators at the Puhung metro station in Pyongyang, April 16, 2016. Franck Robichon, EUROPEAN PRESSPHOTO AGENCY
A woman carries a bag next to a board in Pyongyang suburbs April 17, 2016. Franck Robichon, EUROPEAN PRESSPHOTO AGENCY
City view of Pyongyang, April 17, 2016. Franck Robichon, EUROPEAN PRESSPHOTO AGENCY
A metro employee on board the newest cars at the Puhung metro station in Pyongyang, April, 13, 2016. They have one of the deepest metros in the world consisting of two lines with these recently added new cars. Franck Robichon, EUROPEAN PRESSPHOTO AGENCY
A live-shell firing drill by artillery sub-units under large combined units of the North Korean Army, is shown in this undated photo, under the simulated conditions of beating back enemy forces conducting a surprise night landing. The photo was released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on April 12, 2016. KCNA via AFP/Getty Images
Kim Jong Un, left, Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army, issues an order to conduct the ground jet test of a new type high-power engine of inter-continental ballistic rocket and comes to the Sohae Space Center to guide the test. KCNA via EPA
A rocket is displayed during the Immortal Flower Festival 'Kimilsungia' in Pyongyang, North Korea on April 13, 2016. The country is preparing to mark the 'Day of the Sun' celebrating the day of birth of the country's founder, Kim Il-Sung. on April 15. Franck Robichon, EPA
Young women participate in a rehearsal ahead of the 'Day of the Sun' celebrations at Kim Il Sung Square on Wednesday, in Pyongyang. Franck Robichon, EPA
This is a view of the Pyongyang, North Korea skyline on April 12, 2016. Franck Robichon, EPA
Pyongyang Station is shown in late evening April 12th in Pyongyang,. Franck Robichon, EPA
An image of the operation of a new type large-caliber multiple rocket launching system at an undisclosed location in North Korea is released from KCNA on March 24, 2016. North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un has claimed an "historic" advance in the country's nuclear strike capability with the successful test of a solid-fuel rocket engine, state media said. KCNA via AFP/Getty Images
A man cycles past the Kim Il Sung square on Wednesday, ahead of the 'Day of the Sun' celebrations in Pyongyang, North Korea. Franck Robichon, EPA
Young boys get the view of Pyongyang, North Korea from a bus window, April 12. Franck Robichon, EPA
Waitresses work on April 12, in a restaurant of the Koryo Hotel in Pyongyang, North Korea. Franck Robichon, EPA
A tramway rides past the Pyongyang Station in Pyongyang, on April 12, 2016. Franck Robichon, EPA
Pedestrians walk along a street in Pyongyang, North Korea. Franck Robichon, EPA
A large mosaic representing Kim Il-Sung, left, and Kim Jong-Il in Pyongyang suburbs, North Korea is shown on April 12, 2016. An ethnic Korean U.S. citizen was sentenced to 10 years in jail for espionage. Franck Robichon, EPA
A worker unloads a bag of fertilizer from a conveyer belt at Hungnam Fertilizer Complex in Hungnam, South Hamgyong Province, North Korea, March 13, 2016. Kim Kwang Hyon, AP
A shipbuilder works at the Hongwon Shipyard in Hongwon County, South Hamgyong Province, March 12, 2016. Jon Chol Jin, AP
Newly manufactured shoes are seen at Wonsan Shoes Factory in the Kangwon Province, March 14, 2016. North Koreans are being mobilized en masse to boost production and demonstrate their loyalty to leader Kim Jong Un in a 70-day campaign aimed at wiping out "indolence and slackness." To show their loyalty, workers are putting in extra hours to boost production in everything from coal mining to fisheries. Kim Kwang Hyon, AP
A North Korean soldier walks past a truck near goods piled up on a dockyard in Sinuiju, North Korea, March 14, 2016. AP
North Koreans load goods on a dockyard with a Chinese and North Korean national flags in Sinuiju, North Korea, as seen from Dandong in northeastern China's Liaoning province, Feb. 26, 2016 . AP
This undated photo released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on April 2, 2016 shows a missile test of a new-type anti-air guided weapon system at an unknown location. KCNA, AFP/Getty Images
Kim Jong-Un inspecting the test of a new-type anti-air guided weapon system at an unknown location. photo released on April 2, 2016. KCNA, AFP/Getty Images
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un inspecting the Plant under the Ryongsong Machine Complex in North Korea. KCNA, AFP/Getty Images
A woman cycles with her child riding in a basket in Kaesong on Feb. 22, 2016. Wong Maye-E, AP
Bicycle riders in Kaesong on Feb. 22, 2016. Wong Maye-E, AP
Korean People's Army Lt. Col. Nam Dong Ho is silhouetted against the truce village of Panmunjom at the Demilitarized Zone on Feb. 22, 2016. Wong Maye-E, AP
The North Korea's women soccer team fills up custom forms in front of a globe structure as they prepare for departure to Beijing at Pyongyang's International Airport on Feb. 23, 2016. Wong Maye-E, AP
Two people cycle past a planetarium at the Three Revolutions Exhibition Hall in Pyongyang on Feb. 23, 2016. Wong Maye-E, AP
A cashier prepares a receipt for customers at a local restaurant in Kaesong on Feb. 22, 2016. Wong Maye-E, AP
Solar panels hang from windows of an apartment building in Kaesong. Wong Maye-E, AP
Soldiers guard the truce village of Panmunjom at the Demilitarized Zone on Feb. 22, 2016. Wong Maye-E, AP
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un attends a concert marking the 70th founding anniversary of the KPA military band in Pyongyang, in this photo released Feb, 23, 2016. Korean Central News Agency
A boy pushes a cart of cabbage along a main road in Hyangsan County, north of Pyongyang, on Dec. 3, 2015. Wong Maye-E, AP
South Korean army soldiers close a gate in Paju, near the border with North and South Korea, on Feb. 8, 2016. Ahn Young-joon, AP
A North Korean woman walks down the streets of Pyongyang on Dec. 1, 2015. Wong Maye-E, AP
The 105-story pyramid-shaped Ryugyong Hotel towers over residential apartments and snow-covered trees and fields in Pyongyang on Dec. 3, 2015. Wong Maye-E, AP
People ride in a boat in the Yalu River near Dandong on Feb. 9, 2016. Helene Franchineau, AP
North Korean soldiers patrol next to the border fence near the town of Sinuiju on Feb. 10, 2016. Johannes Eisele, AFP/Getty Images
A man works on a boat on the banks of the Yalu River on Feb. 10, 2016. Johannes Eisele, AFP/Getty Images
The sun rises over a bridge on the banks of the Yalu River in the Chinese border town of Dandong opposite the North Korean town of Sinuiju on Feb.10, 2016. Johannes Eisele, AFP/Getty Images
A man rides his bicycle in front of a portion of the Great Wall on Hwanggumpyong Island, which is located in the middle of the Yalu River between the North Korean town of Sinuiju and the Chinese town of Dandong, on Feb. 9, 2016. Johannes Eisele, AFP/Getty Images
A man and his son ride in a boat on the Yalu River near the town of Sinuiju across from the Chinese border town of Dandong on Feb. 9, 2016. Johannes Eisele, AFP/Getty Images
People board a boat on the Yalu River near the town of Sinuiju across from the Chinese border town of Dandong on Feb. 9, 2016. Johannes Eisele, AFP/Getty Images
North Korean soldiers stand on the banks of the Yalu River near the town of Sinuiju on Feb. 8, 2016. Johannes Eisele, AFP/Getty Images
North Korean soldiers in a watchtower observe a soldier walking on the banks of the Yalu River in the town of Sinuiju on Feb. 8, 2016. Johannes Eisele, AFP/Getty Images
A North Korean soldier smokes a cigarette on the banks of the Yalu River in the North Korean town of Sinuiju, in an image taken from across the river in the Chinese border town of Dandong Feb. 8, 2016. Johannes Eisele, AFP/Getty Images
North Korean military personnel celebratein Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang Jan. 8, 2016, afterNorth Korea said it conducted a hydrogen bomb test. Jon Chol Jin, AP
A pair of North Korean soldiers walk through a field in Sakchu county, North Korea, Jan. 7, 2016. AP
North Koreans clap at a rally after North Korea said it had conducted a hydrogen bomb test. Kim Kwang Hyon, AP
A North Korean soldier looks across the border with China from his post in Sakchu County, North Korea, Jan. 7, 2016. AP
North Korean veterans gather before the start of a parade in Pyongyang, North Korea. Leader Kim Jong Un declared that his country was ready to stand up to any threat posed by the United States as he spoke at a lavish military parade to mark the 70th anniversary of the North's ruling party and trumpet his third-generation leadership on Oct. 10, 2015. Maye-E Wong, AP
A barbed-wire fence marks a military checkpoint near the Demilitarized Zone that separates South and North Korea on Jan. 6, 2016, in Paju, South Korea. Chung Sung-Jun, Getty Images
North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Un watches a military firing contest in a photo released Jan. 5, 2016. Reports did not specify when Kim viewed the contest, but it is presumed to be his first military-related field guidance of 2016. Rodong Sinmun via European Pressphoto Agency
North Koreans watch a news broadcast on a video screen in Pyongyang, North Korea, on Jan. 6, 2016. Kim Kwang Hyon, AP
North Koreans watch a news broadcast on a video screen outside a Railway Station in Pyongyang, North Korea, on Jan. 6, 2016. Kim Kwang Hyon, AP
Hyeon Soo Lim, pastor of the Light Korean Presbyterian Church in Toronto, is escorted to his sentencing in Pyongyang, North Korea, on Dec. 16, 2015. North Korea's Supreme Court sentenced him to life in prison with hard labor for what it called crimes against the state. Jon Chol Jin, AP
Members of North Korea's Moranbong Band perform with the State Merited Chorus in Pyongyang, North Korea, on Oct. 11, 2015. Charles Dharapak, AP
A North Korean soldier gathers straw in a field in Sinuiju, North Korea, seen from across the border in Dandong in northeastern China's Liaoning province on Jan. 6, 2016. Chinatopix via AP
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, accompanied by commanding officers of the Korean People's Army, visit the Kumsusan Palace where his father, Kim Jong-Il, lies, on Dec 17, 2015. Korean Central News Agency via AFP/Getty Images
A picture made available on Oct. 25, 2015, shows a general view of Mount Kumgang covered in fog on North Korea's east coast. Yonhap via European Pressphoto Agency
This picture released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on Nov. 8, 2015, shows Kim Jong Un attending a photo session with military education officers. AFP/Getty Images
A North Korean traffic police woman directs vehicles at an intersection on Sept. 15, 2015, in Pyongyang, North Korea, as residents commute at the end of the workday. Wong Maye-E, AP
This undated picture released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on September 14, 2015, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un inspecting the construction site of the Paektusan Hero Youth power station in Ryanggaung province. KCNA via AFP/Getty Images
A picture released by the Rodong Sinmun, the newspaper of the ruling North Korean Workers Party, on Sept. 8, 2015, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center front, and Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez, second from right, a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and first vice-president of the Council of State, watching an art performance by the Moranbong Band and the State Merited Chorus in Pyongyang, North Korea, on Sept. 7, 2015. Bermudez led a Cuban delegation to North Korea to mark the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between North Korea and Cuba. Rodong Sinmun, European Pressphoto Agency
This undated photo released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Sept. 5, 2015, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, at the Sinuiju Measuring Instrument Factory in North Pyongan Province. KCNA via AFP/Getty Images
In this Aug. 23, 2015, photo, North Koreans read the public copy of a daily newspaper on the platform of a subway station in Pyongyang, North Korea. Dita Alangkara, AP
A station officer waits for trains to arrive on the platform of a subway station in Pyongyang, North Korea, Aug. 22, 2015. Dita Alangkara, AP
Portaits of the late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung, left, and Kim Jong Il glow on the facade of a building as the Juche Tower, top left, one of the city's landmarks, is seen in the background at dawn in Pyongyang, North Korea, on Aug. 19, 2015. Dita Alangkara, AP
This undated picture released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Aug. 18, 2015, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, second from left, visiting the Taedonggang Combined Fruit Farm in Pyongyang. KCNA via AFP/Getty Images
People line up Aug. 16, 2015, at kiosk in Pyongyang, North Korea. Street stalls that offer North Koreans a place to spend -- or make -- money on everything from snow cones to DVDs are flourishing in Pyongyang and other North Korean cities, modest but growing forms of private commerce in a country where capitalism is officially anathema. Dita Alangkara, AP
A newlywed couple pose, during a photo shoot on Sijung Ho beach in North Korea, on Aug. 18, 2015. The couple gathered with their friends and family members to have their pictures taken after their wedding ceremony. Dita Alangkara, AP
People dance during the celebration of the Liberation Day as the portrait of North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung, left, and Kim Jong Il are seen in the background at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea, on Aug. 15, 2015. Thousands of people take part in the celebration that commemorates the 17th anniversary of the liberation of the Koreas from Japanese colonial rule. Dita Alangkara, AP
North Korean soldiers watch as fireworks explode, July 27, 2015, in Pyongyang, North Korea, as part of celebrations for the 62nd anniversary of the armistice that ended the Korean War. Wong Maye-E, AP
North Koreans bow in front of bronze statues of the late leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il at Munsu Hill, July 27, 2015, in Pyongyang, North Korea. North Koreans gathered to offer flowers and pay their respects to their late leaders as part of celebrations for the 62nd anniversary of the armistice that ended the Korean War. Wong Maye-E, AP
Staff wait at the check-in counters of the new international airport terminal building at Pyongyang airport, July 1, 2015, in Pyongyang, North Korea. The unveiling underscores an effort to attract more tourists and to spruce up the country ahead of the celebration of a major anniversary of the founding of its ruling Worker's Party in October this year. Kim Kwang Hyon, AP
An Air Koryo plane sits on the tarmac in front of the new Pyongyang International Airport terminal building, in Pyongyang, North Korea. Air Koryo is the only carrier to have been awarded just one star in rankings released recently by the UK-based SkyTrax consultancy agency. Wong Maye-E, AP
Men and women pump their fists in the air and chant "defend!" as they carry propaganda slogans calling for reunification of their country during the "Pyongyang Mass Rally on the Day of the Struggle Against the U.S.," attended by approximately 100,000 North Koreans to mark the 65th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War at the Kim Il Sung stadium, Thursday, June 25, 2015, in Pyongyang, North Korea. The month of June in North Korea is known as the "Struggle Against U.S. Imperialism Month" and it's a time for North Koreans to swarm to war museums, mobilize for gatherings denouncing the evils of the United States and join in a general, nationwide whipping up of the anti-American sentiment. Wong Maye-E, AP
A farmer stands in front of a field June 24, 2015, in South Hwanghae, North Korea. There has been almost no rain in this part of the country, according to farmers and local officials interviewed by the Associated Press. While the situation in the area that the AP visited looks grim, it is unclear how severe the drought is in the rest of the country. Wong Maye-E, AP
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, center, visits the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun on April 15 to celebrate the 103rd birthday of his grandfather, the late president Kim Il-Sung, in Pyongyang. KCNA, AFP/Getty Images
A national meeting is held on April 14 at the Pyongyang Indoor Stadium. KCNA via AFP/Getty Images
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, center, inspecting Unit 1016 of Korean People's Army Air and Anti-Air Force on March 10. KCNA via AFP/Getty Images
North Korean workers plant seedlings in a field on Feb. 3 in Jaeryong, Hwanghae province. KCNA via European Pressphoto Agency
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un enjoys his Dec. 1 visit to an artillery unit at an undisclosed location. Korean News Service via European Pressphoto Agency
A state photo from December 5 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un observing the North Korean military's winter training at an unknown location in North Korea. Korean News Service via, epa
Soldiers and citizens rally at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea, to protest a United Nations resolution condemning their country's human rights record Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2014. Protesters at the rally Tuesday on the square carried banners praising their leaders and condemning the United States. The banner in the center reads: "Let's defend with our lives the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea headed by supreme leader Kim Jong Un." Jon Chol Jin, AP
North Koreans gather in front of a portrait of their late leader Kim Il Sung, left, and Kim Jong Il, right, paying respects to their late leader Kim Jong Il, to mark the third anniversary of his death, Wednesday Dec. 17 at Pyong Chon District in Pyongyang, North Korea. North Korea marked the end of a three-year mourning period for the late leader Kim Jong Il on Wednesday, opening the way for his son, Kim Jong Un, to put a more personal stamp on the way the country is run. Kim Kwang Hyon, AP
This picture taken by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on December 17 shows North Korean people offering prayers before portraits of late leaders Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il in Pyongyang for the third anniversary of late leader Kim Jong-Il. Korean News Service via, AFP/Getty Images
A December 13, handout photo shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un visiting the Korean People's Army navy unit 189. Korean News Service via, AFP/Getty Images
Kim Jong-Un applauds the participants in the second meeting of Korean People's Army (KPA) exemplary servicemen's families in Pyongyang in this handout image. Korean News Service via, AFP/Getty Images
This handout picture released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on December 9, 2014 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un holding up a boy as he joins a photo session with the participants in the second meeting of Korean People's Army exemplary servicemen's families in Pyongyang. Korean News Service via, AFP/Getty Images
An undated picture from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on December 5, 2014 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un inspecting the new year combat and political drill of the Korean People's Army Korean News Service via, AFP/Getty Images
People enjoy a ride at the Kaeson Youth Amusement Park on Sept. 3 in Pyongyang. Wong Maye-E, AP
People shoot targets at an arcade at the Kaeson Youth Amusement Park. Wong Maye-E, AP
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(Note: North Korea does not publish official trade data. Three agencies, namely the UN, International Monetary Fund and KOTRA, a South Korean state agency, compiled their own data from official statistics of North Korea's trade partners and other sources such as private global trade information companies. Data from the three agencies have similarities and differences due to different sources and methodology. We used 2015 KOTRA data as it is commonly used by researchers to analyze North Korea's trade trend. KOTRA data, however, exclude North Korea's trade with South Korea as South Korea does not recognize North Korea as an independent state. According to North Korea expert and prominent economist Rüdiger Frank, this exclusion is reasonable as most economic exchange between North and South Korea was made through the Kaesong Industrial Complex which should not be considered as real trade. Read his explanation.)
Armed with such leverage, why does Beijing seem unable to restrain an increasingly aggressive North Korea?
Chad O'Carroll, the founder of NK News, an U.S.-based news site covering North Korea, said trade grew because U.N. sanctions target weapons and not overall trade. U.N. officials don’t want to deepen the humanitarian crisis in North Korea, where an estimated 60% of the population, or 15 million people, don't have reliable access to food.
"All the sanctions have to be targeted towards the leadership and those involved in special weapon programs only," O'Carroll says.
O'Carroll said Beijing's No. 1 priority is stability when it comes to North Korea.
“[Beijing] doesn’t want to increase pressure on the leadership of Pyongyang that could lead to unforeseen consequences that may impact neighboring regions of China," O'Carroll said.
For example, a collapse of the North Korean regime could lead to an influx of refugees into China.
While the Trump administration has said China can and should do more to solve the North Korean crisis, it is still very unclear what Trump's strategy is, O'Carroll said.
"If (Trump's) goal is to destabilize North Korea and impact the political situations, causing real instability for Kim Jong-un, I don't think China would really want to pursue that type of policy."
Even if Trump were to impose more sanctions, he would face another challenge.
"The problem is, and this is really important, the Trump administration is making a big deal out of the South China Sea issue, Taiwan, trade and tariffs," O'Carroll said. "So how can they really expect China to want to do too much when it comes to North Korea?"
Trump’s relationship with China has thawed in recent days after what he called a “very warm” conversation with Xi Jinping on Friday and he reaffirmed the U.S.’s commitment to the “One China” policy.
This article originally appeared on GlobalPost and Pri.org. Its contents were created separately to USA TODAY.
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