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China and North Korea have officially opened the New Yalu River Bridge, more than a decade after the cross-border infrastructure project was completed, potentially expanding trade and economic exchanges between the two neighbouring countries.
The four-lane bridge opened to traffic on Thursday, October 15, with trucks carrying Chinese and North Korean flags travelling in both directions. The crossing stretches about 3,026 metres across the Yalu River and links the Chinese border city of Dandong with North Korea’s Sinuiju.
Completed in 2014, the bridge remained unused for about 12 years, largely because the North Korean side had not completed roads, customs facilities, and other supporting infrastructure. Border restrictions introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic further disrupted movement between the two countries.
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The new crossing is expected to supplement the ageing Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge, which has traditionally served as a main transport and trade link between China and North Korea. Analysts say the larger road connection could allow greater volumes of Chinese consumer goods, industrial equipment and raw materials to enter North Korea.
A new bridge linking China and North Korea will open this week, Chinese state media reported on October 14, 2026, twelve years after its construction, in another sign of deepening economic relations between the Asian giant and its poor neighbour. AFP
China remains North Korea’s biggest trading partner and an important source of economic and diplomatic support. Chinese exports to North Korea reached about $2.3 billion in 2025, although trade remains constrained by international sanctions linked to Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons programme.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said the bridge would strengthen connectivity while promoting bilateral trade and movement between the two countries. Its opening also comes as Pyongyang expands regional links, including the recent opening of its first road bridge with Russia.
The development follows North Korea’s latest weapons activity, including reported submarine-launched cruise missile tests, and highlights Pyongyang’s efforts to deepen economic relationships with its two major neighbours while remaining subject to extensive international sanctions.
For Dandong, where businesses have long depended on cross-border commerce, the bridge could provide a new economic channel after years of restricted activity. However, analysts caution that increased infrastructure capacity does not necessarily mean trade will immediately return to levels seen before tighter sanctions and pandemic-era border closures.
