China and North Korea open New Yalu River Bridge after 12-year delay

China and North Korea have officially opened the New Yalu River Bridge, launching a major border crossing that sat unused for 12 years after construction stalled on the North Korean side.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang marked the opening on Thursday in a video address, describing the bridge as a "new landmark symbolising the traditional friendship between China and North Korea" and stating that relations between the neighbours were "opening a new chapter". Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Wednesday that the route would facilitate trade and people-to-people exchanges.

The 3-kilometre (1.9-mile) four-lane structure spans the Yalu River, connecting the northeastern Chinese border city of Dandong with Sinuiju in North Korea. It provides a long-awaited alternative to the aging Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge, built between 1937 and 1943 during Japan's occupation of the region.

Why was the bridge delayed for 12 years?

China completed its section of the bridge in 2014, expecting a rapid expansion in bilateral commerce. However, North Korea halted construction on its connecting roads and customs facilities as diplomatic relations cooled. Beijing had backed United Nations Security Council sanctions against Pyongyang following a series of nuclear and ballistic missile tests.

High-level diplomacy between the two nations resumed in earnest in recent years, capped by Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to Pyongyang in June to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Air China restored direct passenger flights between Beijing and Pyongyang in March following a six-year suspension, and cross-border train services resumed the same month.

What the opening means for trade

China remains North Korea's primary economic partner and diplomatic ally. Chinese exports to North Korea reached $2.3bn last year, helping total bilateral trade recover to $2.7bn and nearing pre-pandemic levels.

Despite the massive increase in transport capacity, analysts expect border traffic to grow gradually rather than surge immediately. UN sanctions remain in force on many North Korean goods, and Pyongyang maintains tight controls over domestic market exposure to foreign goods.

The bridge opening also comes as Pyongyang expands ties with Moscow, having sent troops and military supplies to support Russia's war in Ukraine. North Korea and Russia opened their own first road bridge earlier this month, signaling a broader push by Pyongyang to diversify its transport routes.