China and Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) relations are entering a new stage and opening a new chapter, Premier Li Qiang said in a video address on Thursday at the opening ceremony of the New Yalu River bridge that links the North Asia neighbours.

Li said he hopes the two sides will use the bridge link as an opportunity to continue enhancing connectivity and tap cooperation potential in border areas, Xinhua news agency reported.

The opening of the two countries' ⁠most significant land border crossing is aimed at rejuvenating trade and commerce.

The three-kilometre New Yalu River Bridge and the end where Chinese customs operates saw increased activity over the past few days, with trucks adorned with national flags making the crossing on Thursday.

Crowds also gathered on the Chinese side along a road overlooking the bridge.

Chinese and DPRK flags also lined the cable-stayed bridge ⁠with towering pylons that had been completed in 2014 but remained unused, ⁠while approach roads and a ⁠customs compound on the North Korea end remained unfinished.

The opening signals progress in bilateral relations between Beijing and Pyongyang, marked by two summit meetings between their leaders in the past year.

China is by far Pyongyang's largest trading partner, even after a series of UN sanctions ⁠banned the flow of goods and workers to and from the DPRK.

China and Russia, two UN Security Council permanent member states that voted to approve sanctions resolutions until 2017, have since questioned the legitimacy and efficacy of such bans.

The bridge will help move heavy equipment, raw materials and energy products needed for North Korea's development projects, said Lim Eul-chul at Kyungnam University's Institute for Far Eastern Studies.

China's exports to the DPRK rose to a six-year high of US$2.3 billion last year, a 25 percent increase, That was ⁠still well below levels before UN sanctions were tightened in 2017. (Reuters)



Edited by Altis Wong