China and North Korea Inaugurate Long-Delayed Border Bridge

A road bridge connecting China and North Korea, the New Yalu River Bridge, has officially opened after a 12-year delay, according to Chinese state media. The bridge, spanning 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) from Dandong in China to Sinuiju in North Korea, is intended to become the primary land route for trade between the two countries.

Construction on the bridge was initially slated for completion in 2014. However, work was halted indefinitely when North Korea postponed the development of its connecting roads and customs facilities amid a period of strained relations with Beijing. The bridge now offers an alternative to the older Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge, which was built between 1937 and 1943 during Japan's occupation of the region.

China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated on Wednesday that the bridge is an "important facility for connectivity" and will "further facilitate trade and people-to-people exchanges." Bilateral trade between China and North Korea reached $2.7 billion last year, recovering to pre-pandemic levels, largely driven by Chinese exports to the North.

Despite the opening, experts suggest that a rapid surge in trade is unlikely due to ongoing international sanctions against North Korea over its nuclear weapons program. Kang Jun-young, a professor of Chinese studies at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, noted that Pyongyang may also be hesitant to accept a large influx of Chinese imports that could increase Beijing's influence over its domestic market. Trade is therefore expected to grow gradually.

China and North Korea share a strong historical alliance, often described as being "as close as lips and teeth," and maintain a mutual defense treaty. However, relations experienced frostiness throughout much of the 2010s, particularly after North Korea's 2017 nuclear test and subsequent ballistic missile launches, which increased international wariness and strengthened U.S. military alliances with South Korea and Japan.

More recently, China's stance has shifted. Edward Howell, a lecturer at the University of Oxford, observed that while Beijing was once overtly critical of North Korea's nuclear program, it now remains largely silent on the issue. This shift is partly attributed to North Korea's growing proximity to Russia, particularly in the context of the war in Ukraine. Reports indicate that North Korean soldiers have participated in the conflict, with Russia supplying oil to Pyongyang in return, a transaction that also potentially violates UN sanctions.

In response to North Korea's strengthening ties with Russia, Beijing appears to be working to reassert its influence. Air China resumed direct flights between Beijing and Pyongyang in March, and passenger train services were also reopened the same month. Chinese President Xi Jinping made his first state visit of 2024 to Pyongyang in June, meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul, commented that the bridge's opening "demonstrates bilateral relations are improving" and validates Xi Jinping's visit. However, he also pointed out that the extended delay, influenced by factors such as North Korea's pandemic-era self-isolation and domestic policies, highlights Pyongyang's challenging nature as a partner for Beijing.