China said Thursday, July 13 it was committed to upholding United Nations sanctions on North Korea despite data showing a jump in the volume of bilateral trade, AFP reports.

Sino-US relations have soured in recent weeks as President Donald Trump urges Beijing to put diplomatic and economic pressure on North Korea over its nuclear ambitions, with tensions rising after this month's test of a missile that could reach the US mainland.

Despite Washington's calls for action, trade between the Asisn neighbours increased 10.5 percent percent in January-June, including a 29.1 percent jump in exports.

But customs administration spokesman Huang Songping said Beijing was upholding the UN sanctions against the regime of Kim Jong-Un.

"Simple accumulated data cannot be used as evidence to question China's severe attitude in carrying out UN Security Council resolutions," Huang told a news briefing.

He pointed to a 13.2 percent drop in imports from North Korea in the same period as an example of the pressure, adding that there have been sharp decreases every month since March.

"UN Security Council sanctions are not a total ban on shipments. Trade related to DPRK people's livelihood, especially those that reflect humanitarianism should not be influenced by the sanctions," Huang said.

China announced in February the suspension of coal imports from the North, striking a blow at a major source of income for the hermit state.

Huang said coal imports dropped by three-quarters in the first half, and all those shipments had been made before February 18.

Previous Chinese customs data showed two-way trade with the North had risen 30.6 percent in dollar terms in the first three months of the year.