China’s export of electricity and oil and gas products to North Korea fell sharply

Almaty. August 16. Silkroadnews – China’s export of electricity and oil and gas products to North Korea fell sharply, South China Morning Post reported.
“Chinese customs data shows that electricity exports to North Korea in the second quarter of this year declined by 97.7 per cent, from 10,542,330 kilowatt-hours to 237,953 kilowatt-hours, compared with the same period in 2016. Exports of oil and gas products declined by 56.2 per cent year in the same period, from just over 79,000 tonnes to nearly 35,000 tonnes. The products include compressed natural gas, petrol and aviation fuel”, the report said.
Other Chinese exports to the DPRK also reported declined, in particular, concrete (61.3% decrease) and frozen beef (91.3% decrease).
“It can also be seen as a signal that North Korea has gradually become self-sufficient in the energy industry after years of economic development”, the agency quoted Zhang Tuosheng, director of the Center for Foreign Policy Studies at the China Foundation for International and Strategic Studies, saying. He also added another reason for the fall in Chinese exports was Russia was supplying more energy to North Korea, the publication says noting that “Russia boosted its trade with Pyongyang by 73 per cent in the first two months of this year”.