China and North Korea have opened the New Yalu River Bridge, a long-delayed crossing linking Dandong and Sinuiju. The move signals closer ties as Pyongyang seeks to reduce its economic isolation.
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01Summary
- 01China’s Xinhua news agency said a launch ceremony was held on Thursday for the New Yalu River Bridge.
- 02The 3km road bridge connects Dandong in China with Sinuiju in North Korea.
- 03Chinese Premier Li Qiang called it a “new landmark” of the countries’ “traditional friendship”.
- 04The bridge is expected to ease pressure on the ageing Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge, which carries rail and vehicle traffic but only one-way traffic at a time.
- 05More than 70 percent of official trade between China and North Korea currently goes through the Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge, according to Chinese data.
02Why it matters
The bridge gives China and North Korea a new physical link for trade and transport, which could improve cross-border movement. It also reflects the wider political alignment between Pyongyang, Beijing and Moscow.
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