On 15 October 2026, China and North Korea held an opening ceremony for the New Yalu River Bridge. The bridge connects the Chinese city of Dandong and the North Korean city of Sinuiju.
Construction was completed back in 2014, but the opening was postponed for 12 years. The reason was unfinished work on the North Korean side — roads and customs facilities.
The bridge, about 3 kilometres long and with four traffic lanes, is to replace the outdated Friendship Bridge, built in 1943. The old crossing has only one lane and is combined with a railway.
China fully financed the project, worth about 2,2 billion yuan. The construction agreement was reached in 2009 during a visit to Pyongyang by then-premier Wen Jiabao.
The opening took place against the backdrop of warming relations. In September 2025, Kim Jong Un visited China, and in June 2026, Xi Jinping travelled to North Korea. Trade between the countries is recovering: in the first half of 2026 it grew by 19,6 %.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning noted that the bridge would become important infrastructure for connectivity and would promote economic, trade and humanitarian exchanges.
North Korean media have not yet reported the opening, unlike the Chinese media. A few days before the ceremony, flags of both countries appeared on the bridge, and trucks began moving.
The new crossing is capable of handling up to 20 thousand vehicles and 50 thousand passengers a day. How will this affect the daily life of the border cities?
Shortly before this, North Korea opened its first road bridge with Russia. These steps show Pyongyang's desire to develop transport links with its neighbours.
