The long-delayed New Yalu River Bridge connecting China and North Korea is set to officially open on Thursday (October 15, 2026), state media agency Xinhua confirmed on Wednesday. Beijing and Pyongyang will jointly organize a high-level inauguration ceremony to mark the historic opening.
The multi-lane bridge connecting Dandong in China's Liaoning province to Sinuiju in North Korea had its main Chinese spans completed as early as 2014. However, inauguration was stalled for over a decade due to delayed North Korean infrastructure construction—specifically connecting highways, border checkpoints, and customs facilities—as well as geopolitical tensions stemming from UN sanctions following Pyongyang's nuclear tests.
The bridge's opening signals a significant thawing in Sino-North Korean economic and diplomatic relations. Chinese exports to North Korea surged by 25% to reach $2.3 billion last year—a six-year high, though still below pre-2017 UN sanction levels. The infrastructure milestone closely follows North Korea's recent inauguration of its first road bridge connecting with Russia, highlighting Pyongyang's broader push to enhance cross-border transport corridors with key strategic partners.
— Daily Best News Desk • Fearless in the search for truth
Reported by International Desk • Edited by the Daily Best News desk. Send corrections to [email protected].
