The Xin'an River Bridge, connecting Dandong in China's Liaoning province and Sinuiju in North Korea, officially opened on October 15. The bridge, completed in 2014, had remained unused for approximately 12 years before finally becoming a new channel for exchanges between the two countries.
According to China's state-run Xinhua News Agency, both North Korea and China held a joint ceremony to mark the bridge's opening and the start of its official operations. The event featured video messages from Li Qiang, Premier of the State Council of China, and Pak Tae-sung, Premier of North Korea's Cabinet, congratulating the occasion.
In his remarks, Li stated, "The Xin'an River Bridge is a key border infrastructure project that has been promoted with the interest of Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The opening of the bridge will contribute to expanding economic and trade cooperation between the two countries and enhancing exchanges among their people." He expressed hope that the bridge would become a new symbol of the traditional friendship between North Korea and China, leading to improvements in customs procedures, transportation connectivity, and regional cooperation.
Li also emphasized the commitment to developing North Korea-China relations, noting that under the strategic leadership of the two countries' top leaders, their relationship has entered a new phase. He pledged to implement agreements made between the leaders and to strengthen strategic communication and political trust. Additionally, he expressed intentions to expand practical cooperation and multilateral collaboration to continuously advance bilateral relations.
The Xin'an River Bridge serves as a vital transportation and logistics infrastructure in the border region, and its opening is expected to change the conditions for cargo transport and trade between the two nations. However, the actual scale of trade expansion will likely be influenced by customs systems, operational methods, and the progress of economic cooperation between the two countries.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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