New Yalu River Bridge Set to Open October 15, Boosting China-North Korea Trade
The long-awaited New Yalu River Bridge connecting Dandong and Sinuiju is scheduled to open October 15, signaling a major expansion in cross-border trade.
POLICY WIRE — Beijing, China — The long-awaited New Yalu River Bridge, a major infrastructure project connecting China and North Korea, is scheduled to officially open on Thursday, October 15.
The announcement came Wednesday via the Chinese state news agency Xinhua, which confirmed that both nations intend to hold a joint ceremony to mark the occasion. This development signals a significant effort to revitalize economic ties and increase trade capacity between the two neighbors.
Spanning the Yalu River, the structure links the Chinese city of Dandong in Liaoning Province with Sinuiju in North Korea. The bridge is designed to connect the Dandong New Zone directly to North Korean territory, providing a vital alternative to the aging Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge.
The project has faced extensive delays since its initial completion in 2014. However, recent progress on North Korean customs and logistics facilities, combined with the emergence of cargo traffic, suggested that an opening was imminent.
Experts anticipate that the new crossing will substantially increase trade volume, effectively relieving pressure on the existing, outdated bridge infrastructure. The move is viewed as a strategic step toward modernizing the logistics corridor between the two countries.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
