KYODO (Kyodo News) — China maintained exports of crude oil to North Korea in November, customs figures released Monday show, at the same time as negotiations were taking place over North Korea's nuclear programs.

China exported 47,008.62 tons of crude oil to North Korea during the month, up 14.5 percent from a year earlier, according to the General Administration of Customs. The total for the first 11 months of the year was 475,336.39 tons.

November's figure was down on the amount exported in October, which was 58,684.98 tons. China, North Korea's main supplier of food and fuel, did not export any crude oil to its neighbor in September.

Crude oil exports in November were taking place at the same time as negotiations about a start date for the six-party talks, set up to discuss the North Korean nuclear issue.

North Korea agreed to resume talks -- also involving China, the United States, Japan, Russia and South Korea -- but a date had at that time not been fixed. Those talks were held in Beijing last week and went into recess without any major breakthrough.