China-North Korea trade falls 5% in 2024 despite 75th anniv. of ties

China's trade with North Korea in 2024 fell 5 percent from the previous year to about $2.18 billion, official data showed Saturday, as two-way trade lacked momentum despite Beijing and Pyongyang marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations.The latest data came after Beijing-Pyongyang trade in 2023 recovered to roughly 82 percent of the pre-coronavirus pandemic levels of 2019, with the resumption of bilateral freight shipments following the easing of restrictions.China is North Korea's closest and most influential ally in economic terms. However, some observers say ties between the c…READ FULL ARTICLE