North Korea and China seem near lastly opening a border crossing that has been beneath improvement for greater than a decade and that’s more likely to turn into the principle crossing level for street cargo between the 2 international locations. The Chinese language customs amenities had been accomplished a while in the past, however the North Korean aspect has lagged far behind. Business satellite tv for pc imagery signifies {that a} latest surge in development on the North Korean aspect has ended, and the brand new customs facility seems full.
China is North Korea’s largest buying and selling associate, and Sinuiju is its largest import and export level. A number of different crossings exist alongside the border, however none are as busy as Sinuiju. Opening the brand new bridge will facilitate a better quantity of visitors between the 2 international locations as they seem set to broaden commerce. Earlier this week, North Korea opened a brand new crossing with Russia at Tumangang, which is anticipated to spice up commerce between the 2 international locations. Nevertheless, China is more likely to stay North Korea’s dominant buying and selling associate.
Current Exercise
Development of the New Yalu River Bridge started in 2011 and though the crossing was accomplished in 2014, it by no means opened. China accomplished a customs constructing in 2016 however the bridge basically led to a discipline on the North Korean aspect. Work on the North Korean aspect started in 2020 then stalled for a number of years earlier than resuming once more. Exercise picked over the summer time months in 2026, and it seems that North Korea has lastly accomplished its customs and immigration infrastructure.
The bridge is anticipated to turn into the principle crossing level for cargo vans touring between China and North Korea. Presently, vans cross the getting old Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge touring between the middle of Dandong and Sinuiju. The brand new crossing has bigger cargo processing capability on each side of the river and means vans received’t clog up town facilities of Dandong and Sinuiju.
The previous bridge is more likely to stay in operation for rail visitors as the brand new bridge doesn’t embody a rail hyperlink.
On September 7, all development exercise gave the impression to be completed on the North Korean aspect with street surfacing, noticed per week earlier, accomplished.
A small variety of cargo containers are current within the North Korean yard on imagery from September 7. They’ve been there for a number of days.
On the Chinese language aspect, there are not any vans contained in the customs space. A number of might be seen on an adjoining roadway, though it’s unclear if they’re related to border commerce or just utilizing it as a quiet street cease.
The customs yards on each side of the river comprise giant warehouses for the storage of products. Basically, cross-border commerce between the 2 international locations entails vans depositing items for import or export within the warehouses to be taken throughout the border. Chinese language vans don’t drive into North Korea past the customs level, and, in flip, North Korean vans don’t enter China.
