New Yalu River Bridge connects Dandong in northeastern China with Sinuiju in North Korea
About 98% of North Korea’s external trade was with China in 2025, according to figures cited in the reports. Authorities have not announced the new bridge’s toll rates.
Chinese premier Li Qiang said the two countries’ relationship had entered a “new stage”, describing the crossing as a landmark of their traditional friendship. North Korean premier Pak Thae Song said the bridge would help advance prosperity and improve people’s well-being, according to the countries’ state media. A report by Daily NK said shipments surged after China’s National Day holiday, as traders sought to send goods before the new route began operating amid fears of steep tolls and other fees.
But work on the North Korean side stalled, leaving the crossing unused for more than a decade. The delay fuelled speculation that Pyongyang was wary of becoming more dependent on Beijing or unhappy with China’s support for United Nations sanctions over North Korea’s nuclear programme. Traders are expected to weigh the cost of using the wider crossing against the older route, meaning improved capacity may not automatically translate into cheaper shipments. China remains North Korea’s largest trading partner and a vital economic lifeline.
Even before the new bridge opened, Chinese traders were reportedly rushing to move cargo across the old crossing.