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China looks set to reopen border with North Korea Dandong sits along the Yalu river, which forms the border with North Korea. Photo: AP
A Chinese city on the border with North Korea is looking to upgrade its cross-border trade facilities amid speculation that the two countries are moving to strengthen their relationship in the face of increased pressure from the United States.
Government documents show the local authorities in Dandong in Liaoning province recently started soliciting bids for a series of projects that suggest the long-delayed New Yalu River Bridge may soon be open for use.
The eight-lane road bridge was designed to replace the Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge built by the Japanese occupiers in 1943, which is only wide enough for a single rail track and a one-way road.
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Daily NK
North Korean authorities transfer management of special road near Sinuiju to Ministry of State Security
The road’s transfer to the Ministry of State Security may be related to preparations to open the New Yalu River Bridge
2021.04.09 3:00pm
North Korean authorities reportedly renamed a road near the North Korea-China border and transferred its management from the Ministry of Social Security to the Ministry of State Security. They cited past negligence in management and the need for strengthened security for military facilities as reasons for the changes.
A source told Daily NK on Monday that the State Affairs Commission changed the name of “Road 123” to “Road 7.27” on Mar. 26. The commission also ordered that the Ministry of Social Security transfer the road’s management to the Ministry of State Security.
Trade activities between the neighboring countries are unlikely to resume this month.
A recent report stated that trade between China and North Korea, which has been severely curtailed by the coronavirus pandemic, was on the verge of resuming.
Nikkei had stated that North Korea was getting set to get back to trading with China after a lack of Chinese goods wreaked havoc on North Korea’s sanctions-battered economy. That report also said that the first goods were likely to be transported over the Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge, between Dandong and Sinŭiju, on the North Korean side of the border, and that the long-delayed New Yalu River Bridge was on the verge of reopening. However, passenger cars were not going to be allowed to cross the border.