Kim Jong-un inaugurates new China link after 12 year wait

Kim Jong-un arrived in the Chinese border city of Dandong on Saturday, becoming the first leader to cross the newly opened New Yalu River Bridge. The trip marks his sixth visit to China and his first since September 2025, when he attended a military parade in Beijing alongside President Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin.

During the visit, Kim met Wang Huning, a member of the standing committee of the Communist Party of China. The two officials toured a car factory and pledged to strengthen bilateral relations. Xinhua reported that Kim said North Korea is ready to expand practical cooperation to deliver tangible benefits to the people of both countries. Wang accompanied Kim to the bridge for his departure, according to the agency.

The 3km bridge opened in mid-October, twelve years after China finished construction. Delays on the North Korean side had held up the project for a decade. The opening connects Pyongyang by road to its two main backers, following the launch of the first road bridge across the short North Korean Russian border in early September.

The timing of the trip coincides with the October 25 anniversary of China's first major victory in the Korean War. Chinese troops crossed the Yalu River into North Korea in October 1950. Japan's Kyodo news agency reported that traffic controls were placed around the bridge and a nearby museum dedicated to China's role in the conflict. Hotel bookings in the area were also restricted, a move diplomatic sources linked to the visit of a senior North Korean official.

Relations with South Korea have deteriorated sharply since late September. Kim Yo Jong, Kim's sister, has issued approximately ten statements criticizing Seoul, a frequency that the South Korean unification ministry has called unusual. She announced plans to resume loudspeaker broadcasts at the border within days.

The visit occurs ahead of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen on November 18 and 19. While the event has fueled speculation about a meeting between Kim and US President Donald Trump, Reuters reported on Friday that US and South Korean officials see little chance of such a meeting happening this year.