Sinuiju:North Korea and China have officially opened a new cross-border bridge, 12 years after its construction was completed. The bridge, which spans the Amnok River, also known as the Yalu River, connects the North Korean city of Sinuiju with Dandong in China.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the opening ceremony took place with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and North Korean counterpart Pak Thae-song participating via video conference. The bridge is described as "key cross-border infrastructure," a project pursued by Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to strengthen economic and trade cooperation.

The bridge, whose construction began in October 2011 and ended in October 2014, remained unused until now due to incomplete infrastructure on the North Korean side. It features a deck 28.5 meters wide and is designed to accommodate vessels of up to 3,000 tons. This new bridge is expected to alleviate congestion on the existing Friendship Bridge, which has been the primary crossing since 1943 and has limitations on the weight of trucks it can support.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning highlighted the bridge's role in facilitating trade and interactions between the two nations. The development is seen as the first tangible implementation of agreements reached during the June summit between Kim and Xi, where they pledged to elevate bilateral relations to a strategic level. An official from South Korea's unification ministry noted the importance of this development in potentially deepening strategic ties.