Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, traveled to China on Saturday and visited the new Yalu River Bridge that connects the two countries. This bridge is located in the border city of Dandong and has recently been inaugurated.
Meeting with Chinese Officials
Wang Hong, senior political advisor of China, met with Kim Jong Un during this visit. He conveyed the congratulations and best wishes of President Xi Jinping to Kim. China and North Korea agreed to enhance their strategic communications and cooperation to safeguard their sovereign, security, and developmental interests.
Strengthening Cooperation and Exchanges
The two countries also emphasized the expansion of people-to-people exchanges and economic and trade cooperation through the opening of the new Yalu River Bridge. This four-lane bridge, completed in 2014, had remained unused for 12 years due to a lack of connected roads and customs facilities on the North Korean side. Its official opening took place about a week ago and is seen as a sign of strengthening economic relations between the two neighboring countries.
China is North Korea's largest trading partner and the main source of diplomatic, economic, and political support for this isolated and nuclear-armed country, although the relations between the two countries have not always been smooth. This visit coincides with the anniversary of China's entry into the Korean War, which is known in China as "the war to resist U.S. aggression and aid Korea." It is still unclear whether Kim will participate in the memorial ceremony.
Kim's visit also comes ahead of an important political meeting in Beijing, where Xi and other senior officials gather for the fifth session of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. The new Yalu River Bridge opened just a month after the inauguration of the first road bridge between North Korea and Russia, which Pyongyang has regarded as a sign of its closer ties with Moscow.
Analysts believe that while North Korea's trade with Russia mainly involves supplying military equipment, trade with China could provide goods necessary for the development of North Korea's civilian economy.
