They waited 12 years for this. China and North Korea have officially opened a massive investment

"The New Bridge over the Yalu River connecting China and North Korea was officially opened on October 15," Xinhua reported.

“As an important interconnection facility between the two countries, its opening will further boost economic and trade exchanges and people-to-people contacts, as well as improve the well-being of the citizens of both countries,” it added.

The crossing connects the Chinese city of Dandong with the North Korean city of Sinuiju. The new bridge, construction of which began in 2010, was built as a result of an agreement concluded a year earlier during the visit of then Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao to the capital of North Korea. The over three-kilometer-long structure was completed in 2014 and its cost was approximately 2.2 billion yuan, or nearly $300 million. The entire investment was financed by Beijing.

Years of waiting

Despite the completion of construction works, the bridge remained unused for many years. The main obstacle was delays in the construction of access roads and customs infrastructure on the North Korean side. Only in recent months have these difficulties been overcome, which allowed the official opening of the crossing.

So far, the main road connection between China and North Korea was the Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge, built during World War II. Its outdated structure and limited capacity - only one lane - forced alternating traffic, which significantly hampered the efficient exchange of goods and travel.

China and North Korea are getting closer

The completion of the investment is part of the visible warming of relations, as evidenced by the recent visit of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to China - the first in six years - and the return visit of Chinese leader Xi Jinping to Pyongyang after a seven-year break.