China bilateral trade with North Korea rebounds 25 percent to near pre-pandemic levels in 2025

Data released by the General Administration of Customs shows that bilateral trade between China CNand North Korea KProse 25 percent year-over-year in 2025 to reach $2.73 billion. This significant rebound signals a stabilization of economic relations between the two neighbors, effectively reversing a 5 percent decline recorded in 2024 when trade had dipped to $2.18 billion.

The 2025 total of $2.73 billion brings the volume of commerce close to the $2.79 billion recorded in 2019, approaching levels seen before the implementation of pandemic-related border restrictions. This recovery follows a period of improved diplomatic ties marked by a significant meeting in September 2024. During that month, Kim Jong Un kim jong unvisited Beijing for his first meeting with Xi Jinping xi jinpingin six years, where both leaders affirmed their commitment to developing bilateral ties and deepening cooperation.