China and North Korea open cross-border Yalu River bridge after 12-year delay

China and North Korea have formally inaugurated a new bridge spanning the Yalu River, opening the border crossing to traffic more than a decade after workers finished building the span.

The ceremony on Thursday linked the northeastern Chinese hub of Dandong with Sinuiju on the North Korean side, according to China's state-run Xinhua News Agency. Chinese Premier Li Qiang and North Korean Premier Pak Thae-song participated in the event remotely through a video link.

Li described the span as vital cross-border infrastructure backed by Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. He noted that the route would significantly enhance commercial and economic cooperation, remarking that partnership between both states has entered a fresh stage following high-level summit pledges made in Pyongyang to elevate strategic ties. Xinhua noted that Pak delivered remarks during the ceremony, though his statements were not published.

Plans for the modern river crossing were initially agreed upon in 2010 to provide a major alternative downstream from the existing connection. While construction started in late 2011 and concluded by October 2014, the four-lane motorway remained shuttered for roughly 12 years because connecting facilities and related structures had not been finalized on the North Korean side of the frontier.

The roadway structure measures 28.5 meters across, and the river passage below is built to allow ships weighing up to 3,000 tons to navigate through. Officials anticipate the link will stimulate bilateral commerce and ease severe bottlenecks on the neighboring Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge. That aging span, which began operations in 1943, has long struggled with capacity limits, permitting only single-lane vehicular movement restricted to trucks under 20 tons.

Chinese foreign ministry representative Mao Ning stated ahead of the launch that the bridge serves as an essential channel for connectivity, easing movement for travelers and goods through Dandong, which functions as China's primary border conduit for trade with North Korea.

A South Korean unification ministry representative remarked that the launch represents the first concrete execution of bilateral commitments made during the June summit between Beijing and Pyongyang. Seoul stated it intends to observe the situation closely to assess whether the bridge's operation marks a deeper step toward closer strategic collaboration between the neighboring nations.