Kim Jong-un visits Dandong after crossing newly opened China–North Korea bridge
Kim met senior Chinese official Wang Huning during the October 24 visit, as the two sides called for closer trade and other cooperation.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited Dandong, China, on Saturday, October 24, after crossing the newly opened New Yalu River Bridge, according to the Associated Press and the South China Morning Post. He met senior Chinese official Wang Huning as both sides called for closer cooperation, giving the border crossing a prominent place in their efforts to expand ties.
AP reported that Kim crossed the bridge into Dandong, citing South Korea’s Unification Ministry and China’s Xinhua News Agency. It said he inaugurated the new crossing between the two countries. The visit was Kim’s first to China in about a year, according to AP; the South China Morning Post described it as his first in more than a year.
Kim’s meeting with Wang Huning in Dandong
Wang, a member of the Chinese Communist Party’s Standing Committee, welcomed and accompanied Kim during the visit, the South China Morning Post reported, citing Xinhua. AP reported that the two toured a car factory. According to AP’s account of Xinhua, Wang later accompanied Kim back to the bridge to see him off.
Kim said North Korea was ready to work with China to carry forward their historical friendship and expand practical cooperation that would benefit people in both countries, AP reported, citing Xinhua. The South China Morning Post reported that Wang called for more exchanges between people, stronger economic and trade cooperation, and closer strategic communication and coordination.
Why the New Yalu River Bridge matters for trade
The bridge opened this month after years of delay. Earlier NewsJaws coverage described the long-awaited opening. AP reported that the crossing is expected to accommodate two-way traffic around the clock, including container shipments and heavy cargo trucks. That capacity makes it a potential route for expanded trade between the neighbours, although the reported expectations do not establish how much traffic it will carry.
China is North Korea’s traditional main ally and an economic lifeline, AP reported. Kim has also sought closer ties with Russia, sending troops and conventional weapons to support its war in Ukraine, according to AP. His Dandong visit put the relationship with Beijing back in view at a crossing built to handle heavier commercial traffic.
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Sources and context
- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visits China to inaugurate a new cross-border bridgeAssociated Press, republished by PBS NewsHour
- North Korea’s Kim Jong-un pays surprise visit to Chinese border city DandongSouth China Morning Post
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.