North Korea and China are set to open a major suspension bridge across the Amnok River in October, paving the way for closer economic relations between the allies, China’s state media reported Thursday.
The 3-kilometer, 2.2 billion yuan (US$357 million) bridge links the North’s border city of Sinuiju to the neighboring Chinese city of Dandong over the river, also called the Yalu River in China. Dandong handles more than 70 percent of bilateral trade with North Korea.
The official China News Service, without citing any sources, reported that the bridge will be opened in October, when the two nations hold a joint trade fair in Dandong.
If the Chinese-funded bridge opens, the report said, “Dandong will become more important in China-North Korea trade.”
The bridge illustrates the view in China that economic engagement with North Korea is a prerequisite to persuading it to abandon its nuclear weapons program, and its resistance to U.S. calls to exert more economic leverage to restrain the regime.
A series of provocations by the North, including last year’s nuclear test, have strained political ties with its last-remaining ally, China. Still, many analysts believe that Beijing will not put strong pressure on Pyongyang due to the risk of aggravating the current situation.
via N. Korea, China to open major bridge next month.
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