China and North Korea Open New Yalu River Bridge After More Than a Decade of Delay

China and North Korea officially inaugurated the New Yalu River Bridge on Thursday, marking the opening of their most significant land border crossing after more than a decade of delays. The bridge, which connects the two countries across the Yalu River, was completed in 2014 but sat unused for years due to unfinished supporting infrastructure on the North Korean side and severely strained bilateral relations. Trucks were seen crossing the structure on opening day, signaling the resumption of meaningful overland trade.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang delivered a video address at the opening ceremony, saying the bridge would deepen economic and trade ties and expand people-to-people contact between the two countries. He called on both sides to improve border clearance procedures, strengthen connectivity, and explore cooperation potential in border regions. The opening comes as China and North Korea work to restore commerce disrupted by years of tense relations and pandemic-era border closures.

The New Yalu River Bridge is the second major bridge North Korea has opened connecting it to key trading partners within the span of a single month, underscoring a broader push by Pyongyang to reengage with neighbors and revive cross-border economic activity.