The two sides held a joint opening ceremony, with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and North Korean Cabinet Premier Pak Thae-song sending video messages to mark the occasion.
Li described the bridge as a "new landmark" symbolizing the traditional friendship between the two countries, according to Xinhua.
"The cable-stayed bridge over the Yalu River serves as a cross-border transport link between the city of Dandong in northeast China's Liaoning Province and the city of Sinuiju in North Pyongan Province," it added.
Xinhua also quoted Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning as saying the new bridge would "further facilitate trade and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries."
The 3,026-meter-long, four-lane bridge was completed in October 2014, three years after construction began, but remained idle for about 12 years because North Korea had yet to complete key infrastructure on its side including access roads and other supporting facilities.
The bridge is expected to serve as an additional route for cargo and logistics between the two countries, facilitating bilateral trade and exchanges.
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