A new bridge linking China and North Korea could soon open to traffic, after a building in North Korea's Sinuiju was confirmed as a customs facility, according to observations from Dandong on China's side of the Yalu River on Tuesday.
The completion of auxiliary facilities at the new border crossing is seen as a sign that the two countries are moving closer to officially bringing the bridge into service, after years of delays caused by international sanctions and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The bridge was built to enhance trade and commercial connectivity between the neighboring nations, whose close economic ties have often been constrained by aging infrastructure at the border.
Observers suggest that opening the new bridge could help ease pressure on the older crossing at Dandong, which has been the main road link between China and North Korea for decades.
No official announcement has yet been made by either government regarding a specific opening date, but the completion of critical infrastructure such as the customs station indicates that plans are being accelerated.
