BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s exports to North Korea in March rose to a six-month high, with outbound shipments to its neighbour that month nearly 400 times more than January-February combined, in a sign of easing border restrictions imposed due to COVID-19.

China exported $12.978 million of goods to North Korea in March, up from $3,000 in February and $33,000 in the first two months, according to Chinese customs data released on Sunday.

The shipments in March were the highest by value since $18.882 million in September last year.

China imported $1.308 million of North Korean goods in March compared with $1.75 million in February.

Early last year, North Korea banned almost all cross-border travel, and some countries including Britain, France and Germany withdrew their local representatives.

(Reporting by Ryan Woo and Lusha Zhang; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)