A long-delayed bridge connecting North Korea and China is set to officially open to traffic on Thursday, more than a decade after construction was completed, according to Chinese state media.
The New Yalu River Bridge links the North Korean city of Sinuiju with Dandong in China. The 3,024-metre-long, four-lane bridge was built to strengthen transport links and facilitate trade between the two countries.
Construction began in October 2011 and was completed in October 2014. However, the bridge remained unused for years because North Korea had yet to complete the necessary buildings and infrastructure on its side of the border.
China’s Xinhua News Agency reported on Wednesday that the bridge would officially open to traffic on Thursday.
Vehicles have recently been spotted crossing the bridge, raising the possibility that test runs were being conducted ahead of its opening.
The project is expected to boost trade and facilitate the movement of people between the neighbouring countries, which share close economic and political ties.
The opening also comes after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged at a summit in Pyongyang in June to elevate bilateral relations to a strategic level and strengthen exchanges between their countries.
The bridge’s long-awaited opening could mark a significant step towards improving cross-border connectivity and economic cooperation between North Korea and China.
